E 711 



.N26 

Copy 1 




Class T. n M 

Pnnk ■ <a 

CoipglitN" .Ht,(c 

coFutiGxr DEPosm 



The National 

McKmley Birthplace 

Memorial 



Erected V>y 



The National McKinley Birthplace 
Memorial Association 



Corner Stone Laid 
November TwcntietK, Nineteen Fifteen 

Dedicated 
October Fifth, Nineteen Seventeen 






Copyrighted by 
The National McKinlcy Birthplace Mc 
1918 



DEC 23 1918 



List of Illustrations 

Pace 

The National McKinlky Birthplace Memorial Frontispiece 

Court of Honor H ■ 

Henry Clay Frick 13 - 

Bronze Bust ok David Tod IS 

Bronze Bust of C. H. Andrews 17 '- 

Act of Congress 20, 21 " 

Jos. G. Butler, Jr 25 

Birthplace of William McKinley 27 

John G. Mh-blrn 3i 

W. A. Thomas 35 

Bronze Bust of B. F. Jones 37 

H. C. McEldowney 43 • 

My'ron T. Herrick 53 

William H. Taft 03 ' 

William McKinlf.y 89 ' 

Bronze Bust of John Hay 93 ■ 

Bronze Bust of Theodore Roosevelt 97 

Bronze Tablet of Frank H. Mason 107 

District School House 109 

Bronze Tablet of John Stambauch 119 

Bronze Tablet of William McKinley 121 ' 

Portrait of James Ward 123 



The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial 




KSKjNED by the most famous architects in 
America, erected of ( icorgia marble, and sur- 
rounded by a beautiful jjark in the center 
of the citv (if Xiles, the National McKinley 
I'linlipl.uc Mcniiirial has been declared by 
manv to l)e the noblest and most beautiful structure of 
its kind on the American continent. 

The buildini;- is 232 feet in lentilli, 136 feet in 
width, and thirl\-ei,qht feet in height. It consists essen- 
tialh of a Court of Honor flanked by two lateral 
winj;s. one of which is designed as an assembly room 
and the other as a library. 

The Court of Honor is supported by twenty-eight 
monolilliic marble columns of im])osing size and most 
graceful design. Tt is open to the sky in great part 
and the interior is laid out as an Italian garden, with 
hedges, vases and parterres. Toward the rear and in 
the center line is placed a heroic marlile statue of 
McKinley. the masterpiece of J. Massey Rhind. a famous 
American sculptor, who unhesitatingly declares this to be 
the l)est work of his life. It is certainly a wouderful 
likeness of the martyred president, reproducing his form, 
features and the expression most familiar to those who 
knew him best and knew liini at those ])eriods of his 
life when the cares of statesmanship engaged him most 
deeply. The statue is. as the sculptor planned it to 
be. a faithful rrpresentation of its subject in his noblest 
mood, that of the statesman engrossed with the heavy 
task of steering the ship of state through troubled 



McKIXLKV .MEMORIAL 

waters and fonnulatiniL;- lla- ])olic>- of a great nation 
grdwing greater under liis l)enetic-ent guidance. 

I'lanking tlie princijial statue are busts and tablets 
dedicated to tbe members of McKinley's cabinets and 
those who were most intimately associated with his 
public life. These are executed with faithfulness and 
artistic skill, forming a most a])iiroi)riate setting for the 
heroic figiu'e about which they are grouped. 

To the right of the Court of Honor is the main 
a.ssembly hall. This is designed to accommodate an 
audience of looo, and is provided with comfortable seats, 
a semi-circular stage, dressing rooms and all appropriate 
adjuncts. Its ceiling is the full height of the building, 
and is decorated with excjuisite taste. The lighting and 
ventilating are as nearly perfect as it was possible to 
make them, and the acoustics have proven excellent. 
This auditorium, containing a large moving picture ma- 
chine, has been placed at the disposal of the public 
for all ])ublic gatherings worthy of such a setting, and 
is used fre(iuently for lectures, musicals and similar 
educational i)ur])oses as well as for community church 
services. 

On the opposite side of the Court of Honor is 
located a library wing e(|ual in size to that occupied 
by the auditorium. This wing contains two stories, the 
first of which is devoted to the library proper and has 
been thoroughly equipi)ed with that end in view. In 
the center of its main room stands a statue of Henrv 
C. Frick, noted manufacturer, friend of McKinley and 
the largest single contributor toward the erection of 
the building. .Around this room are groujied reading 
and reference rooms, a librarian's office, and an open 
stock ro,,m for the reception and handling of books. 

10 



McKTXT.EY ^IiaiOKlAT. 

The l)()i)l< shelves were si)ecially designed for tlie library, 
as was all of its furniture, the result beint;- a harmoni- 
ous and elegant general effect that at once impresses 
the visitor. in addition to man}- books contributed for 
this library, all the books in the Xiles Public Library 
have been removed to it, and the name of that organiza- 
tion changed to that of The [Memorial Library. 

The second floor is reached by a marble stairway, 
and here are placed the memoribilia of AkTvinley and 
historical relics of all kinds associated with the part 
he plaved in the nation's history, in both peace and 
war. On the stairway and in these rooms are appro- 
priately ])laced busts of men who have achieved fame 
in .\merican history and .\merican industry. 

It is expected to have here in time the most 
notable collection of relics of ]\IcKinIey to be found 
anvwhere in the country, this being the most suitable 
])lace for the ])rescrvation and dis])lay of such relics. 
Those who are fortunate enough to own anything of 
interest known to have been used by the martyred 
President, or intimately connected with his ])ublic or 
l)rivate life, are urged to present or loan it to this 
collection. Here such relics will be absolutely safe from 
destruction by hre or b}- the accidents of ])assing years, 
and here they will l)e seen by the largest number of 
])ersons, since the .Memorial has already become a Mecca 
for people from all ])arts of the world who reverence 
the virtues of the man it honors. 

A considerable collection of such relics has been 
already received, and others are constantly being added 
to the collection. A careful record is kept of such 
articles, the name of the donor or lender, and such 
otlier information as may be ai)])ro])riatc. Contributors 

12 




HENRY CLAY FRICK 

Who Contribvited fKe Memorial Library 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

to tlic collect i(Mi may rest assured that their gifts will 
be treasured and carefidly guarded. 

In addition to the statue of AIcKinley, which occu- 
pies the place of honor and dominates the front view 
of the structure, in the aisle formed by the peristyle 
will be found statues of the following men, all of 
whom have been conspicuous in American history: 

David Tod, \\'ar (iovernor of Ohio. 

Theodore Roosevelt, McKinle\-'s Successor. 

William II. Taft, Twenty-seventh President 
of the United States. 

Philander C. Knox. 

Elihu Root. 

\\'illiam R. Day. 

John Hay. 

Cornelitis N. Bliss. 

Mark A. Hanna. 
All of these men were intimate friends and most 
of them cabinet members during the period of ]\Ic- 
Kinlcy's presidency. 

In addition, tablets have been erected here to the 
memory of the following pioneers in the industrial and 
political history of the Western Reserve: 

James IJeaton. 

I'rank M. Mason. 

Thomas Struthers. 

Joseph II. Brown. 

Richard Brown. 
The busts and tablets erected within the l)uilding 
are those of men \vhose inlluence l;as made itself felt 
in a marked way on the history of America through 
its industrial development, all of them being pioneers 
and ])atli(lnders in the discover\- and utilization of our 

14 




Bronie Bum oI Dav.J T.,J, Mm.Mcr to Bra:,l. C,v,l \V.,r G 
Statcstnan and Indtistrial Pioneer 



rnor o( OKi. 



McKINLEY AIE^rORTAL 

natural resources, from which has sprung our national 
greatness. These include besides statue of Henry C. 
Frick, above referred to, busts of James Ward, B. F. 
lones, A. M. Byers, tlenry W. ( )liver, Andrew Car- 
negie, lolm R. Thomas, C. H. Andrews, Jonathan 
Warner, L. K. Cochran, and John W'. Gates. Room has 
been provided for additional busts, and these will be 
selected with care as time passes, so as to make the 
collection one of national interest because of its completeness. 

The Memorial is designed to occupy, witli its 
grounds, an entire square. Up to this time it has 
been found impossible to secure all of the property 
necessary to this end, but the trustees feel that so 
splendid a structure should have an appropriate setting, 
and as soon as this can be done all buildings now 
located on this square will be razed and the ground 
they occup\' devoted to this purpose. At present the 
grounds surrounding the building have been artistically 
arranged under a competent landscape artist, and are 
already becoming beautiful with shrubbery and flowers. 

To provide for the maintenance of the structure and 
the hoped for increase in the beautv of its setting, an 
endowment fund is being created. ]\Iuch progress has 
been made in this direction, but there still remains an 
opportunity for those who desire to have a part in this 
national testimonial to one of America's most beloved 
statesmen to share in it by contributing to this fund. 

Tt is a matter for general congratulation that, while 
this s])len(lid monument was conceived and its erection 
carried out largely through the energ\- and devotion of 
one man, Jose|)h (i. Buller, Jr., the funds for its erec- 
tion have come in a large degree from the people of 
the nation. This was made possible by the foresight 

16 




Bronze Bust of C. H. Antlrcws. Leader m Dcvcl<.p.ncnl >.l ihc C.v 
and Railroad, of the Mahoning Valley 



McKINLKY MEMORIAL 

of the Trustees in ])r()\i(linj;- means by which modest 
contributors could share in the work of perpetnatinc;' the 
memory of McKinley. 

One of these methods is meml)ershi]) in the Asso- 
ciation, membership cerlihcales l)eing' issued on the pay- 
ment (if a small sum. Another is the McKinley 
Souvenir (lold Dollar, minted specially by the United 
States for this jim^pose. A third is this book, the 
])iu-chaser of which becomes a contributor to the endow- 
ment fund. 

Origin ana Erection of tne Memorial 

The ])lan to ])erpetuat(. the memory of President 
McKinlex by the erection of a suitable structitre to 
mark his birthi)lace is due entireh' to Joseph ("i. Btitler, 
Jr., a childhood companion and lifelong friend of the 
martyred president. He conceived the idea while address- 
ing the Niles Board of Trade on the evening of Feb- 
ruary 4, Kjio, and aimounced it during his address. 
Although the i)lan was erigerly approved by his audi- 
ence, as usual in such ihings, it was soon forgotten 
by all except Mr. Butler, and to his energy and zeal 
was left the task of bringing it to realization. 

His efforts to carry out the i)lan met with such 
enthusiastic support among his wicU' circle of friends in 
all parts of the country that the itroject expanded rap- 
i<lly. He soon saw that, instead of a modest strncim-e 
such as he origin.dly had in mind, it would be jiossible 
to secure funds for the building of ;i memori.il that 
would rank with tlie fmesl examples of this form of 
architecture on the American continent. Tirelessly Mr. 
liutler worked on the project. :\ud the magnificent build- 
ing described in the ]M-eceding chapter is the result. 

IS 



-nil-. XATIoXAI. McKIXI.I'.N' I'.l K'I'l 1 l'I..\( l-. MI-.M()KI.\I. 

Mipii' iliaii a VL-ar was rL-(|iiirc(l to uri^anizc- ihr 
inovcniciil ami i)Ut it in Iri^al Innu, wliicli was done 
1)V tliL- rharlrr -raiitr.l to 'TIk- Xational McKiiilcy Birlh- 
])Iact.' Mt-morial Association, ^rantrd hy special Act of C'on- 
orcss on March |, imm. The incori)oralor> named in this 
Act were |osr|)li < .. I'-nlKT, Jr.. Myn.n T. llerrick. J. 
( i. SchniiiUa])!), John ( i. Milhurn and W. A. Thomas. 
All oi' them except .Mr. Schmidla])]). who was succeeded 
hv II. C. Mch.ldowney as Trustee and Treasurer, have 
served continuously as ofticcrs of the association. Their 
effort? have made jiossihle the splendid structure and 
their names will he ])ermanently associated with it. 

The Xational Mckinley I'lirthplace Memorial has cost 
more than half a million dollars, all of which has been 
contributed by the Anu-rican people. The lart^cst sum 
was given bv .Mr. 11. (,'. Irick, who sent his check 
for $50,000. and. with the exception of a few lar!.,a' 
contributions, the entire fund was made up of small 
amounts, nian\- beint;- only one dollar. It is therefore 
distinctively the wof-k of the peoi)le of this country and 
as such is an elo(|uent testimonial to their love and 
affection for the statesm.m whose nuniorx it perpetuates. 

An endowment fund to maintain the Memorial for 
all time to come is now beini; arranged. This has 
been tlxed at $JOO,ooo, and .1 i)ortion of it has been 
already provided. .\11 who desire to do so may share 
in the work by conlributini;- to this fund. 

The site was provided by the city of Xiles. It 
consists of an entire sipiare, centrally located and within 
a stone's throw of the spot occupied by the little frame 
house in which Mckinley w;is born. This site also 
includes the space on which the little white schoolhouse 
he attended was located. 

19 



^irln'-first (iDiigrr^s of tbc IhM %(atfs of ^mmta; 

At the Xluiil Session, 

Begun liiv! l.cM at Uii- City of \V:i»1i,i, -n,, on MonJa>'. IW Mill day of December, one 
thouKind nine huwlreil and Uii. 



To iiin.r|H>r.,le Ihp Xaii.iu;,! M, K;„|,.i liinl,,,!,,,,. yi,.„wrh\ Association. 



/(.• il rii,irl,,l hi/ llir S.ii.il,- iiiul ll,m.v „J nipmcnlnllres oj Hit Viiilcd 
Sl.il,'> ../ Am.n.'ii !i, Coni/iv.si, .is.,.„M,'il. 'I'liul tlio follo^ving-namod iiereons, 
namely. J. fi. liulliT. junior, of (Miio: Myron T. Uerrioli. of Ohio; .7. (i. 
Silnniill.i|i|.. ofOlii..: .lolin (I. Mill.nni. of Xe» York: and W. A. Tlionias, of 
Oliiii, iJH-ir as.<oi'ialos ami Mic-n-s^or-. duly i-hoson, aro hereby incorporated and 
ileclnnil to lie a lioily i-..r|."raii- of tin- District of Colunibia hy the nauio of Iho 
National .UcKinley Birlliplaie .Memorial Ass... lalioh. and by such name shall 
bo known and have |ieqieiual succession with ihi' ]io\vors, limitations, and 
restrictions herein conlaincd. 

Skc. 2. Thai the i.l.iiii of the corjioration shall he to iierjx'tuatc the name 
and iicliievemenl.s of William AfcKinlcy. late I'rcsidcnfof the Initcil States 
uf America, by erectiiit: and niaintainin^' in the city of Xiles. in the State of 
Ohio, the place of his birth, a nioi.imieiil and memorial Iniildin;;. 

Skc. ;!. That the management and ilirection of the alTairs of the cor|)oration 
ami the control and disp.iviiion of its property and fundi shall be vested in a 
Unird of irusic,-. live in number, to be ci.ni|K.sed of tlie individuals named in 

"e<ii ne of this Act. « ho shall lonstitutetlie first boanl of trustees. Vacancies 

caiiwd by death, resifrnaiion. or otherwise, shall be filled by the remaining 
tnisicis in such manner as shall be pri'scribed from time to time by the by-laws 
of till- cor|Hjraiioii. The persons so elecled shall llnreuiwu become trustees 
and also menilH'i^ of the cor|Hir«tbMi. 

Skc. 4. That .<aid <'or|Kiraliun shall hold its meetings in such place 8« the 
incor)Kiiaior!> or their succcNiiirK slial! determine. 

Sec. .-). That the board of trustees shall be entitled t.. take, hold, and 
administer any seciirilies. funds, or jimperty. real or inrsonal, which may at 
any linie be gi\en. deiiscd. or be<|ueatheil to them or In the cor]ionitiou for 
till' pur|io«cs herein defined, and to piirchasi' necessary lands for site and to sell 
and convey by g,„,d and sutlicieiit deed any other lands that may be given, 
deviwil. or iHipiealhcd to the cor|iuration, ami to convert the same into money; 
wilh full |»i»er friiiii lime to lime In achipt n comimm seal, to np|K.i)ii suili 
oflin-r- ami agents, wbclher members of the board of Inistees or othcrMise. «i 



m»T 1k> <liTnii'.| iiiwaun' for nirniiii; i>ul llii' olijiw |« nf ili>' r.ir|«m\ii.iii: uiih 
("ill |«i«ir III adiipi bv-iann >riil diirli nili-* «r n-pilaliuim ii» (liall !»• ili-i'iiiol 
niv.'..;in I.. Mriirv tlir ufo mxl niiiiiiili-iii Iniimii'tiun uf llic l•lI^ill.•^ <if clii> 
nir|a>raiiiiii : nn.l with full |i<>ni'r miil ili'M'ri-liim lo iiivfl nny |iriiit'i|nl unci iloal 
uiilintHlf\|iciii| iliotiifuincnrthtMtiriMiniiiitn iitixirli nuiitiifriiiiin ilii* juitfniicnl 
«r Mil- lru>li'<<> will Inf.! |iroiiu>l« llii' mIijmI.h lnTiMiilK'f.in' m-i d.rlli; niul. in 
pnnTal, III linvo niiil um' all lla* |Miurni riiiil nulli(irilv iiitvu-nry ami iirnjn'r lo 
imiiiKitf «ihIi uliji ii, anil ram- out llii' |>iiri«~« of llii' iiir|»ir.itioii. Tho Ini-li-cn 
shall havo jNiui-r in hulil aa invi<«iiiii'nifi any M-i-iirilir* (•ivrn, ak*i;;ni'tl, nr 
Inmsft-mMl lu i(h*mi or l« llii* nirimruion liy any |ii<niiin, ihtmhiii, ur i'iir|RiniiiMn. 
ami 111 rrlain mirli invr<i|nu'nt«, ami lo iiivi'.l any wiini. or niiiountn from liiiu' In 
liiiir in Hiirli MH-uritifrt anil in Midi form anil mniini'r an may Ih* |>cruiinod In 
tni>UM-i or III I'liariUiiilo nr lilemry lorimrjliniii fur liivi'>iiiii'iit aiionlini; lo llip 
laH » of ili>> Suic of Dliin. or in audi wi iirilii'i an may U- niilliori/iil tor invcolniriil 
li\ any ilcitl of ini«l or liy any ail or ili-.il of cifl or la>l «ill ami lotann-nl. 

Ski-. *!, Thai all in-rvinal |iro|H-ny ami fiiinl- of tin- riir|Niniliiiii hclil. or 
um'iI for ihi> inirimKo hcrrnf. |iiir«im:il lo ihi- |iro\ii>iiin> of llii> Ai-I, uhi-ilii-r 
■if (iriin i|itil or inruiiK-. ahall. mi Inni: a> iln- -uiiiii- viuili lie mi iiiiiI. Ik- t-xi-wpt 
fmnila.taliunbrlhcl'nilnlSlaltiiurany Ttrrilory orili>lrirl llii'n-nf: I'roriiird, 
Thai MiiJ riir|ionition nhall nol an'i<|i|, onii or liohl ilin-i-ily nr imlin-i-ily any 
jirn|i*-riy ri-al or |M<nMinal oxrcpi mk-Ii aa may Im* n-:i>iiiialily iiiii-i.*ary lo i-arry 
oui till- |iur|H»«-ii of iiH i-ri'aliun an ilcfiniil in llii.-< Art. 

Ski-. 7. That the M-rvicca of tin- Inmli-fh. »lii-n • 
gnluiliMH, hut the ror]ioration ni:iy prui idi* for thf n-ano 
by the tnuti-ea in alU-mling nu-i-liiipi or othonviM' in I 
dutira. 

Sec. 8. That Ihia charter ahall takr rlTi'i-t u|i<in iln lN-iii>„- niii'|>liil l>.v u 
majority vnlc of the incor]iuraloni nenu-d lu'roin. who nhall I"- |iri-»i'iii nl iln- 
fint nici-lin^ of the i*uqiurution, duo notire of whirh nu-i-liiiL' ^liall In* pi\rn In 
eaj-ii uf the ineorpuraluni named herein, and a notiee of kiii )i ai-i-i')iiani i- shall 
lie given by aaid eor^ioration eauning a i-erliGcato to thai i-11'ii-l »it;iii>t! by it-* 
im-sident and '«eeretary lo be filed in the office of the re<nnli-r of deed» nf ihe 
l>ialrii-t of Columbia. 

Ski-. 9. That Conin^^ may from time to time alter, re|H-al. or miKJify Ihiii 
Art nf inrurporetion, but no ronlmrl or individual richl iihuli- or ;ii i|iiinil >hall 



im: a> Miih. >hall Ik' 
ible i-xju'ii-i-* iiii um-il 
' iH-rfonitaii'i- of iln-ir 



thereby be divcated or im|ittin-d 




/UjtA^-< ^ ////; 



>i( (•/ IA< (.'nUrd ataUi and 

Prmlnil uf Ih. Srnmr. 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

The funds and site havini;- been secured, the next 
problem confronting the association was the selection of 
a suitable design. It had been already decided that the 
Memorial should, as far as was practicable, embody the 
principles of beneficence and service which so strongly 
marked the life of McKinley, and should therefore be 
not onlv a monument, but also a structure of utility 
and beauty. The purpose which it was to serve, with 
the large fund available and the widespread interest in 
the movement, rendered it essential that the best pos- 
sible architectural design should l)e selected. 

The association finally decided to secure this design 
b}- an architectural conii)etition, to ])articii)ate in which 
the leading architects of the United States were invited. 
This resulted in the submission ol ])lans l)y six of 
the most prominent firms of national re[)utation. I-'rom 
among these, without its author being known to the 
judges, was selected a design by AlcKini, Alead ^: 
White, of Xew York, which has designed more im- 
])ortant structures of this class than any other single 
lirm in America. The wisdom of the judges has been 
lully vindicated in the magnificent structure built upon 
these plans. Of the many monuments erected to the memory 
of William McKinley, it is undoubtedly the most beautiful 
and most useful, expressing best the sjiirit of his life 
as well as the universal lo\-e and rexerence in which 
his memory is held by the .\merican peojde. 

The erection of the Alemorial was entrusted to The 
j"li'i II- I'arker Company, of Xew \'ork. This firm 
began work early in igi5. and about two years were 
occupied in the construction o])erations, the corner stone 
being lai<l on November _>(), 191 5, and the building 
dedicated on November 15, i()\/. 

22 



Addresses Delivered on the Occasion of the 
Laying oi the Corner Stone 

.\l)i)r(.)i)rialc t.i.ri.'iut>nics niarkctl the hi\ iui4' oi llic 
corner stone for tlic Memorial, wliich took jjlace on 
November jo, 1915. in tlie presence of a larye asseniblv, 
in which were many persons of note from all ])arts 
of the countrx-. President Wilson, who had expected 
to be present, expressed rej^ret at his inal)ility to attend 
in a letter to Mr. lUitler. and through his courtesy 
the occasion was marked by tlie ])resence of the U. S. 
Marine Band. 

THE Wlliri-: HOL'SE 

VV.'\SHI\GTON 



November iS. 1915. 

M\ Dear Mr. lUitler: 

1 am sincerelx snnv lo be ])revented from l)eing present 
at Xiles on ."^alurday next M lake pan in the interestin,^" 
exercises which are ])lanne(l for that day in memory of Mr. 
McKinley. 1 am sure 1 am expressing- only the fecliui;- of 
the whiile cnuntrx when I say lliat siicli a memorial as is 
beins' erected to him by your association expresses the deep 
admiration and affectionate esteem not only of the people 
of Ohio, but of the whole nation for a President who did 

2.S 



iMcKhXLEY MEMORIAL 

his duty wiili c-(inscicniii>us soliciludo and wliu lost his life 

in its iJcrl'urniaiRX'. 1 wish that 1 might be present to 

render m\ own personal tribute of respeet and admiration. 

Cordially and sincerely yours, 

wooDRow wn.sox. 

^^r. Jose])h ( .. lUiller, Jr.. 

{'resident National McKinle}' Rirthplaee 
Memorial Association, 
Vounystown, ()hio. 

|os. (i. Ihiller. ])resident of the Association, con- 
ducted the ceremonies, during which the following ad- 
dresses were delivered: 

Mr. Butler's Address 

Patriotism. L'rotectiim and l'rosi)erit_\-, were the com- 
bined watchwords and slogan of William McKinley. He 
was a Patriot from boyhood up and a Protectionist 
from princi])le and C(in\iction and a harbinger of Pros- 
l)erii}- until the end. 

William McKinley was Ixnn almost on the exact 
spot of this Memorial lluilding, |anuar\- 2<;, 1843. The 
Little r)Id White Schoolhinise which he attended was 
a pan of the >ite of this Memorial Building. 

Pride of ancestry had no jdace in the makeup of 
President McKinley; nor had it in the mind of his 
honored Father, William McKinley, Sr. The McKinleys 
are of Scotch- Irish descent, and no doubt could trace 
tiieir origin back to a remote period should any one 
take the trouble. It is known that the family in Amer- 
ica came from the Donegal Valley, a good old Irish 
name. This Valley is in Lancaster County, Pa. There 
the old Donegal Presbyterian Church, built early in the 

24 




JOS. G. BUTLER. Jr. 

President, the National McK.nley Birthplace Memorial AMOclati. 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

cig'lUcenUi century stands. Tlie history of this church 
is somowliat scant, but a tablet of marble attached 
to the wall tells that the church was founded by 
Aniun- Patterson in the year 1722, and that in 1740 
'.he church received a patent from John Thomas and 
Richard I'enn. Duriny the Revolution the pastor of the 
little church was a follower of the King, but one day. 
after service, his congregation took him out and made 
him swear allegiance to the colonies under a white oak 
tree in front of the church. The tree still stands in 
solemn majesty, and is known as the "witness tree" on 
account of the circumstances mentioned. The tree is 
revered as much as the church. In this historic church, 
visited as a shrine by the admirers of the late Presi- 
dent Mckinley, worshipped his great-great-great grand- 
mother. Sarah (Iray, who was married to David Mc- 
Kiidey on Oecendjcr 10, 1780. 

David .Mckinley was a soldier in the Revolutionary 
War and achieved an honorable record. The second son 
of David Mckinley and Sarah (iray McKinley was 
James .Ste\enson Mckinley, born September ig, 1783. 
He removed to Mercer County, Pa., where he married 
Maria Rose, who was liorn in Mercer County, Pa., No- 
vember 15. 1788. and died at Niles, Ohio. August 20, 
1847. Their son. \\'illi;im Mckinley, was born in Mercer 
County. .Xovember 15. 1807. and was married to Nancy 
Allison on January 6. i82(). Nancv .\llison w^as born 
at Xew r.isbon. Columbiana County. Ohio, April 22, 1800. 
The third son of Willi.am McKinle\- and Nancy Allison 
Mckinley was born ;it Xiles, Trumbull County, Ohio. 
J,-iiiuar\- 2<). 1843. He was elected twenty-fifth President 
of the Cniled States of America on November 3, 1806. 
and re-elected November, 1900. 

26 




BIRTnPlACC OF 



Birtlipla..: ot \V,ll,.,m M.K.nUy 1 l,,s Bu.lJmi.' st.,.ul cm Mam Street, Nil 
ah.nit 500 feet SoutK of the McKmlcy Memorial 



McKIXLEV MEMORIAL 

W'illiaiu McKinle}-, Sr., was unc of ai: old-lime sized 
faiiiilv, fourleen children in all. They were Elizaheth, 
William, David, Andrew, Celia, James, 2^Iary, Sarah, John, 
iCphraim, Hannah, .Marlha, Helen and Benjamin. 

William .McKinle\-, Sr., the father of the President, 
was a founder or manager of hlast furnaces by trade 
or profession. He had charge of various charcoal fur- 
naces in different localities. The duties of a charcoal 
furnace manager in the ])iiineer days were severe and 
varied, re(|uiring" much skill and knowledge as well as 
hard work and a strong" physique. He was obliged to 
superintend the making of charcoal used for fuel, which 
was then done in open mounds and widely scattered 
about, the chopping of wood, the mining of ore, managing 
the furnace, and, in fact, had full charge of all the 
details of manufacture until the resultant product, charcoal 
])ig iron, was ready for the market, where his duties ended. 

William McKinle}', Sr.'s educatitmal advantages were 
confined entirely to such facilities as were aft'orded by 
the connnon school-system, and which in those early 
days were meager enough, but he was naturally bright 
and absorbed all there was to be had. He commenced 
earning his own living at the early age of sixteen. 
He was baptized in the Presbyterian faith, but with his 
family aililiated with the Methodist Chin-ch. He died a 
])eaceful death at Canton, Ohio, November 24, i8<:)2, at 
the ripe age of 85 years. 

On account of the enforced absence from home of 
her husl)and, the education of the family devolved al- 
most wholly on Mother McKinlcy as she is now famil- 
iarly known. She was a woman of strong, rugged, 
positive character. Her old neighbors at Niles say of 
her that she was known as a peacemaker, always doing 

28 



TIIK XA'rioXAI. .MrKIXI.l'.N I'. I Rll I IM ..\( I'". M I'.MoU I A I . 

some yiii>il. kind aiM, iiiini>tiTiiii; in llu- sicU, lu-IpiiiLj 
the poor and lu-cdy, and doin^ oilier L'hrisiian \v<>rk. 
It was the custom in the early days for the school 
masters to Imard aroinid, each tamily that was ahle 
boardiuL;' the teaciier a week i>v nmre. Tiie teachers 
were al\\a\s j^lail to tlnd >heller in the .McKinley home. 

McKinlex's lirst teacher was named Alva Sanford 
and was locally known as "Santa Anna." lie came to 
Nilcs soon after the Mexican War and had charge of 
the Little White Schoolh(uise tor a niunber of years. 
He was called Santa .\nna I'nmi some supposed slight 
resemblance to the great Mexican (jcneral, but it was 
possibly because of his peaceful nature. He was a 
character, and his metliods of discipline and punishment 
were unique, running largely to ridicule. The boys and 
girls were on opposite sides of the schoolhouse, and one 
mode of ])unishment was to send a boy to the girls' 
side of the house and place him between twi» girls. 
This once happened to young McKinley, and the relator 
says he seemed to enjoy it. 

His next teacher was William \'. I\Iorrison, who 
afterward became a clergxnian. having a charge at 
Providence, R. I. Mr. Morrison wrote of President Mc- 
Kinley: "He was a genial, clean, bright boy and a 
general favorite. As a student his recitations were well 
prepared, but it seemed dilVicult to determine that he 
had spent any time over them. On account of his 
leisure time, I frecjuently invited him to a seat near 
me in order to give other students a chance to plod 
through what he seemed to learn at a glance." 

The martial spirit which prevailed for many years at 
Xiles, after the close of the Mexican W.ir, caused the 
male students to form training bands of voung soldiers. 

29 



.McKIXLEY MEAlORfAL 

Tlic youths wore paper caps and wooden swords and 
the reguhir Saturday hall-holiday was spent in inarching 
and manocuvering. McKinley was a private in one of 
these juvenile companies, and often referred to it in 
conversation. The early school days at Niles ran through 
a period of I'ree Trade. It is certain that McKinley's 
protection and sound money views were rooted and 
grounded 1)\ his }dtnhful observations. The Wards had 
an iron rolling mill at Xiles, which pulled along and 
gave eni])loyment to a great many men and fed a great 
many mouths, but it had a constant struggle for exist- 
ence. ]\Ionev was scarcely known. The men were paid 
a dollar or two on Christmas and Fourth of July in 
State bank bills. The men took good care to spend 
the mone\- before a counterfeit detector could l)e con- 
sulted to see if the Ijills were of a broken bank. All 
of the balance of the wages earned were traded out 
at the comi)any"s store. Supplies were had by trading 
nails and bar iron, which were teamed in some instances 
over thirty miles. 

The McKinley family removed to Poland in 1854 on 
account of the better educational facilities afforded by 
that place. McKiidey's school days at Poland and his 
subsequent transfer to the college at IMeadville and the 
fmishing of his education at the Albany law school are 
well known historical facts. 

On October 31, i<S(/i, just prior to the Presidential 
election, a delegation of more than twelve thousand from 
Mahoning X'alley paid a visit to ^\■illiam McKinley at 
his Canton home. .\ftcr passing in review, President 
McKinley spf)ke as follows: 

"My fellow citizens and friends of the Mahoning 
N'alley, 1 am grateful and appreciative of this splendid 

30 



THK XAI'loXAI. McKlXl.l'V lU Kll 1 1'LAri-. M I'.Molv; I Al. 

(k'Hioiistralion iruin iii} oKl iriciids ;iiiil coiisiinu-iiis. 
This aiuli(.-ncc is remarkable not only fur its iiumhers 
but in tbc character of those who are here asseinbletl. 
It is not onlv an amlience represeutint; my old constit- 
uents lint it is an antlieiice re])resent inu;- the home oi 
my birth and early manhood and it is also made uj) 
of rejiresentative citizens of the home of my later years. 

"And here to greet you as friends of my boyhood 
and manhood are rejiresentative ])eople of the City of 
(Canton. Their voices are minolin^ with yours in a 
chorus of patriotism that stirs my heart and !^loriousi\- 
sustains the g'reat cause in which we are enga54ed. It 
is like a reunion of old friends, and revives a inullitude 
of sweet and tender memories, for you come from ni\ 
birthplace, the home of my bnyjiood and earl\- m.'inliood. 
and the dear old town wiiere 1 as a Ijoy enlisted in 
the service of the country. This presence recalls precious 
memories of the past. It is as w^clcomc as a benedic- 
tion from those whotn we love. Looking- into the faces 
of this great audience I sec sfime of my schoolmates, 
some who afterward taught in tlie district schools, and 
some who enlisted with or without tlie consent oi 
an.xious parents in the Union army at the lircaking out 
of the C"ivil War, l)ut how nuicli larger thi' number of 
those whom we all recall tlial have answert'd tlie roll 
call on the other slmre. Peace to their ashes." 

The National McKinlcy P>irth])lace Memorial .Associa- 
tion was born at Xiles, Ohio, l-'ebruary 4, igio. T was 
invited to attend a ban(iuet and meeting oi the Poard 
of Trade held on that date, mv siibiect being: "The 
Town Picautiful." During my brief talk it came to me, 
as an inspiration that srimething should be done in a 
substantial way to honor the memory of this great man 

31 



McKIXLEV MEMORIAL 

at his l)irtli])lacc-. i ihoui^lil llial something more should 
be here than merely a tablet certifying to the exact spot 
on which he was horn. \\y idea was to build sonie- 
tliing of an educational nature, and I made the sugges- 
tion at this hancjuet that I would undertake to raise 
a funtl for the inu'iiose indicated. Upon bringing the 
project to the attention of my friends, more particularly 
in the iron and steel trade, I was gratified by the 
cordial reception with which the idea was received. 
Encouragement came from all points. The project was 
endorsed by Win. II. Taft, who was at that time in 
the Presidential chair; 1)\- Hon. Whitelaw Reid, then 
Ambassador to the Court of St. James; Judge Gary, 
President of the United States Steel Corporation; his 
Eminence, C^ardinal (libbons; President Roosevelt, and my 
good friend, Ex-Ambassador Herrick, who is with us 
today, and business friends too numerous to mention. 
The enterprise "Grew from what it fed upon," and 
from a projjosition involving the expenditure of fifty to 
one lumdred thousand doll.irs it grew and expanded. In 
a brief conversation whh ?\lr. EI. C. Erick, whom I had 
known from his earl}- manhood, I explained wdiat I had 
in mind and he promptly subscribed fifty thousand dol- 
l.'irs. ()tlier triends subscribed substantial amounts and 
our subscriptions to date are about ecpial to the contract 
tor the building, but we need funds to complete the 
Library and the Auditorium room, and we also intend 
to raise a sulistantial endowment fund so that that 
building and property will be taken care of for all 
time to come. The citizens of Niles have been most 
generous and have arranged to ])urchase practically the 
entire sfjuare, which, when the building is completed, or 
possibly before, will have been made into a beautiful park. 

32 




JOHN G. MILBURN 

V.cc-Prcs.dcnt. The National McK.nlcy B.r.hplacc Memorml 
Aasociation 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

Tlie Xalional ]\lcKinlcy Birthplace Memorial Associa- 
tion was chartered h} Congress and the bill signed by 
President Tal't, ]\Iarch 4, lyii. The bill was passed 
unaniinoush- in both houses. A statement was made by 
the committee reporting- the bill that the United States 
government would never I)e asked fur any aid, and this 
has been strictly adhered to. 

The Trustees of the Association are John G. Mil- 
burn, an eminent lawyer, residing in New York, and 
at whose house President Mclvinley died, September 14, 
1901 ; J. (I. Schmidlapp, a well known philanthropist of 
Cincinnati and a dear personal friend of President Mc- 
kinley; Myron T. Herrick, former Governor of Ohio and 
who rendered inestimable service as Ambassador to France; 
the other two Trustees, W. A. Thomas, a resident of 
the city of Xiles, and the remaining Trustee, a child- 
hood friend and intimately associated with the late 
President from his birth until the end. 

The architects of the btiilding are the well known 
firm of McKim, Mead & White, who secured the con- 
tract by what is known as invisil)le competition; in 
other words, plans were submitted by six noted archi- 
tectural firms and it was not known until after the 
plans were selected who the author was. The building 
will be of Georgia marble, 232 feet in length, 136 feet 
in width and 3S feet in height. The Court of Honor 
in the center of the building will be supported by 
twenty-eight monolithic columns. The building will con- 
tain a Library, an Auditorium, a Relic Room and other 
useful adjuncts. Among other features in the building 
will be a memorial room dedicated to the order of the 
Grand Army of the Republic and the United Spanish 
War Veterans. 

34 




W. A. THOMAS 



Secretary and Assista 



cr. The National McK.nlcy B.rthpla 
al A.soc.at.on 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

In ilu' l"oun of Honor \vc contcniijlale having busts 
and tablets erected lo the nienior\- of men who were 
closely associated with President McKinley. We have 
already arranged for a bust of President Taft, Senator 
Marcus A. Planna, James Ward, a pioneer in the rolling 
mill business at Xiles, Andrew Carnegie, B. F. Jones, 
Henry W. Oliver and A. M. i'.yers, of Pittsburg. Nego- 
tiations are also under way for statues and busts of 
Governor Tod, Secretary John Hay, Ex-President Roose- 
velt and others. 

In front of the building will be a statue in marble 
of President McKinlc\-, twelve feet in height. This statue 
is now being sculptured by the well known sculptor, 
J. !Massey Rhind, Xcw York City. 

The contract for the building was let to the John 
H. Parker Company and calls for its completion by 
Sei)tendjer i, 1916. 

The proposition is educational in every respect. It 
will be a permanent memorial. 

It is the aim of the Trustees to have a large 
nundjer of people interested in this Memorial Building 
and to furtlicr that end we have arranged to issue 
handsomely engraved Life Membership Certificates at a 
cost of $1.00 for each certificate. .Already ten thousand 
of tliese certificates have been disposed of with Imt 
little effort. 

I want to call your attention to the cosmopolitan 
character of the sul)scribers and tlie endorsements. Cath- 
olics, Protestants and societies of all kind show the 
universal love and esteem in which the late President 
McKinlex- was held by his countrymen. 

This memorial will l)e a permanent memorial of 
American patriotism and progress, dating from the Titanic 

36 




Bronrc BuM of B F. Jon«. Founder of The Jnne, fe* Lau^Klin Steel Company 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

struggle which resulted in the preservation of the Union, 
down to the recent war with Spain, from which Amer- 
ica emerged as a worhl-jxiwer. The central llgure in 
this slirine will be William .McKinlr}' ; around him will 
be clustered tributes of his fame as a soldier and states- 
man; representations of the marvelous industrial develop- 
ments of the times, to which his economic policies so 
markedly contributed; and statues and portraits of prom- 
inent men idcntihed with his career. It will not simply 
be a mduument; it will not be merely a Memorial 
building; it will be both — and more. All classes and 
conditions of contemporaneous American citizenship and of 
American endeavor will find in this undertaking an op- 
portunity to pay respect and reverence to the most 
beloved character in our National history next only to 
the immortal and incomparable Lincoln himself; and, in 
passing, it is to be noted that in pureness and loftiness 
of patriotism, in gentleness, in patience, in serenity of 
disposition, in undemagogic democracy, in absence of 
malice, and in broad sympathy with human kind, there 
are no two characters in American history more akin 
than Abraham Lincoln and William ]\IcKinley. 

P.ut all-inclusive as tlu' l!irthi)lace Memorial idea is 
in its ap])eal to every ])hasc and class of our nation- 
ality, it is esi)ecially dear to the old soldiers. ]\lcKinley 
was the last member of that unconf|uerable (Irand Armv 
to • reach the very pinnacle of fame, which this earth 
can give to man — the Presidency of the L'nited States 
of America. He entered that arm\- a boy, as a private. 
He marched and bivouacked and fought and suffered for 
over four years under the Mag, and he came forth from 
the war a Major in rank and a man in stature and 
in set principles and established character. Fate took him 

38 



TIIK NATK)N.\1. M.K 1 X l.l'.V I'.l IMl I I'LACE MEMOklAI, 

aloiij; ilic i>crili>us palli i>\ ;ulivc politics, hut lu- ualkc<| 
down its course unscallit-d and clear of mire; llie deej) 
and conii)licated ])roblems of economics and statecraft 
were his daily \H>calion; and when stricken by tlie 
dastard's hand lie was full of the responsibilities of his 
great oHice. Through all these years of stutly, of strug- 
gle, of turnKpii. and of political triumphs, there was one 
thing dearer and closer \.o him than all else, next to 
kith and kin — and that was the associations connected 
with the t i\ il War. and to him every ciimi)aniiin in 
arms was indeed a comrade through life. So the old 
soldiers, ofllccrs and men, on their part, think of Mc- 
Kiiilev; to his memnr\' go out their tenderesi and most 
affectionate reverence. 

It is early yet to estimate the value of William 
McKinle\'s life and its effect upon American history. 
Even now, great statesmen and world historians have 
agreed that the McKinley administration marked a most 
important epoch in American statesmanship, in its far- 
reaching influence upon tlie future of all nations. It 
was William McKinley wlio, though himself from the 
Xorth, yet won the love of the South and knit the 
nation closer together. His administration brought pros- 
perity. The factory chinmeys aglow all over the country 
are in themselves inanimate monuments to the memory 
of McKinley. 

Address of Hon. Frank B. Wdlis, Governor of Ohio 

I am deeply grateful that it has fallen to my lot, 
as Governor of the great state which he so much hon- 
ored, to take part here today, in the town of his birth 
and early life, in the exercises attending the laying of 
the cornerstone for a splendid memorial to William Mc- 

39 



McKIXLEV MEMORIAL 

Kinley. It seems to me exceeding;!}- tilling and signifi- 
cant tlial such a memorial is lu he erected. 

Xui far (hslanl. on a heauliful hillside over-looking 
the city in which he lived and carved out his career, 
stands another memorial. The nalion has paid him great 
honor h\' Us erection of a splendid sepulcher. In soli- 
tary grandeur it expresses the eminence of the dead 
entombed within. 

But at its best, it is the cold and solemn temple 
of the dead. Its very fashion is that of the "dignity" 
V\-ilh which we, as other lu'oples, are wont to hedge 
about our great dei)arled. ( irandeur is there, but life 
is absent. 

William Mclvinle}' deserved that monument; but here 
is one planned that will more appropriately typify the 
life of the man it is to commemorate. He was always 
frank and genial. [Men came to him as to a friend 
and trusted counsellor. I lis reserve was alwavs accom- 
panied by his oprn-he;irtedness. .Vnd, miblc as is the 
structure of his burial, I am sure if William McKinley 
could rettn-n toda\- and choose, he would infmitely prefer 
the memorial, soon to be so full of life, which is to 
honor him here in the place of his birth. 

Singularly beautiful, indeed, is the love of this na- 
tion for the memory of the great son of Xiles. lM)ur- 
leen years and more have i)assed since the tr;iged\- of 
r.nfl'alo thrust him down from health and ])ower and 
honor into the silence of the tomb. The times have 
changed. Most of his associates in high jilaces have 
passed from the scenes of action. Tlu' nation's destinies 
are in different hands. Rut the love for AVilliatii Mc- 
Kinley has grown greater with the (light of years. Uni- 
versally men ])ay their tribute of api)lause when refer- 

40 



THE NATIONAL McKIM.i:\ iU Kl 1 1 1'LACl'. M i:.\I( tkl Al. 

ciK-c is iiiatlL- to his iiK-nuir\ , imw su prfcimi^ lo the 
wlinlc AiiKriian people. 

1 1 is 1)1 >i necessary thai we should pause to pnuder 
at the underl} ini;- cause I'ur this hit;h esteem. W illiaui 
Mcls.iule\ was the typical Anieric|n. That ideal has not 
l)een more nearly ajjproached hy any other emineiU citi- 
zen ol our republic. In that I'aci rests the i)asis of 
our esteem. 

i'.y general consent we aw conuni^ lo rank as the 
greatest of our .\niericans, Washington, Lincoln and .Mc- 
Kinlev. Washington, "first in the hearts of iiis country- 
men." was horn in coniparatixe wealth. lie became the 
magnate of his age. Lincoln, on the other hand, was 
born in poverty. The recital ^n his hmnble childhood 
thrills u> today as no other story. 

William McKinle\- came of i)arents neither wealt'.iy 
nor poor. I le was neither pinched by poverty, nor 
enervated 1)\ wealth. His actual needs were always sup- 
plied, and he was tranied not to wish for jiossessions 
beyond his reach. lie grew up and amid surroundings 
which developed in him "the kingshi]) of the individual 
man." There was no one upon whom he looked down, 
and, with his fellows, he felt there was no one to look 
down upon him. That is essentially the American spirit 
— that each man is his own master, the architect of 
his own fortunes. 

1 shall not presume today to review in detail the 
achievements of his life. But this is an occasion when 
we may well pause for a moment to consider its out- 
standing features. 

William McKinley came of parentage that emphasized 
achievement and honor. Ancestry is not everything in 
the average .\merican life. Rut T have sometimes been 

41 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

accustomed, in speaking of tiie reason for Ohio's great- 
ness among tlie states, to point out that it was here, 
in this central domain, that the Puritan and the CavaHer, 
llie nu:d<er and the CathoHc and all the other elements 
of our early peoples, met to join their fortunes in the 
first "melting pot of America." Ohio was, I mean to 
sav. the lirst of the cosmopolitan states. The narrow 
sectionalism of the older colonies, each content to carve 
out its fortunes within certain narrow Ix^undaries of creed 
or race, was succeeded in Ohio by the cosmopolitanism 
which has made for our nation its especial character and 
its wonderful place in the history of the world. 

William McKinley represented this cosmopolitan char- 
acter in his ancestry. From his father came the sturdy 
blood of the Scotch-Irish, a race of wonderful acconi- 
])lishment on the soil of this new continent. From his 
mother, came the inheritance of the early Puritans. One 
of his grandfathers was German, the other English, 
flome-loving, home-serving, patriotic, were his forebears. 
Service of his country under General Harrison in the 
war of iXij brought his grandfather McKinley to Ohio. 
Ilis great-grandfather had been a soldier of the Revolu- 
tion. One does not have to travel far in his family 
history to find that the setting was adequate for the 
development of such a character — cosmopolitan, loving, 
home-serving, patriotic — as that of the great President. 

The year of his birth was not a spectacular one in 
our national history. It was. however, a time of mental 
activity, of moral awakening, of social and political issues, 
fraught with grave import to the future of the Republic. 
A new era in its history was not far distant. 

Morse had perfected his electric telegraph, and Con- 
gress had appropriated money to demonstrate the prac- 

42 




H. C. McELDOWNEV 

Trea.urer. The National McKinley B.rthpUce Memorial Assocation 



McKINLEY ME^IORIAL 

licabilily oi this invention lliat was to make the Hghtning 
the messenger of man"s thoughts. John Tyler was Presi- 
dent of the United States. Party spirit and factionaHsm 
ran high. In Congress, above the iHn of contention, the 
venerable John Quincy Adams and Joshua R. ( iiddings 
thundered against the institution of human slavery. Sec- 
li.mal feeling was becoming more pronounced, and states- 
manship sought in vain to bridge the chasm between 
the North and the South. 

These were the conditions when, in a modest home, 
almost within the sound of my voice, in an .Vmerican 
village, where popular opinion ran strong for union and 
universal liberty, William ^IcKinlcy hrst opened his eyes 
to the light on the twenty-ninth day of January, 1843. 

Of the childhood of McKinley, here in this city, I 
shall not presume to speak at length. Memory and 
tradition have handed down to those within the reach 
of my voice more than 1 have heard or read. One of 
the nine children, no special fortune came to him. 
Thrift and industry, truth ;ind honor — these were the 
habits that were im])ressed upon him. His mother's 
testimony records the fact that, aside from his kindly 
nature and his studious habits, there was little to 
prophesy the greatness of the man that was to be. 

In the light of history and memory we review the 
life and achievements of this illustrious son of Ohio 
with the poet Tennyson, who sings of 

" * * * some divinely gifted man. 
Whose life in low estate began. 
And on a sim])le village green : 

W'lio breaks his birth's insidious l)ar, 
And grasps the skirts of hai)])y chance. 
And breaks the blows of circumstance, 

And grapples with his evil star. 

44 



I 



rill': \.\ rmxAi. MrKixi.i'.N' r.iK tiii'i.ac'e mk-Mmkiai, 

Who makes for force liis imril known. 

And lives to clutch the golden keys, 

To nmuld a miyhty state's decrees. 
And shape the whisiier of the throne; 

And moving up In mi high to higher, 
Becomes on I'oriuiie's crowning slope, 
The pillar of a I'eople's hope. 

The center of a world's desire." 

Here in irutii. in this city, the life of Williain 
iMcKinley began "in low estate" and on "a simple village 
green." Sevenl> -iwo .\e;irs a.^n, Xiles, with less than 
three Inindred inhahilanls, with simple faclnries, was in- 
deed a village. Here were the green fiehls. the pure 
air and the open sky — the environment favorable to the 
development not only of a sturdy American citizenship, 
but of statesmanship as well. It is not an accident or 
a coincidence. l)ul a remarkable and significant historic 
fact, that of all the Presidents, from Washington to 
William McKinley. not one was born in a city. 

"I didn't raise William to be a President. I brought 
him uj) to be a good man and the other things natur- 
al! v followed." This was the testimony of hi^ mother. 

"With books, or work, or healthful play, 

His early years were passed. 
And thus he gave for every day 

A good account at last." 

And the account that he gave was of such a 
character that everywhere today Americans are glad to 
give him honor. I'or more than forty years, either in 
an humble or an honored place. W'illian' McKinley 
served the people of ibis nation. 

As a young man, foin- years of liis life were given 
to gallant service as a private and an ofiicer in the 
army of his country. His ancestors had fought in 

43 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

every war from the Revolution down; it was but the 
natural tliint^- for him to do to rcs])ond when his coun- 
try needed him. On man_\- of the threat battlefields, he 
evidenced the high character of the patriotism that was his. 

Private citizenship found him a student faithfully 
preparing- for the legal profession he had chosen to fol- 
low. Political life soon began naturally, but as an 
accident. The nomination for prosecuting attorney, given 
him because it was considered that no one of his party 
could win, proved the successful entrance to a long career. 

P'ourteen years he gave as Congressman, four years 
as Governor, and a little more than four years as 
President of the United States. 

W'e are accustomed, wdien the final curtain has been 
drawn about the bier of our dead, to shroud in memory 
the actual characteristics of the lives our great have 
lived; to say the i)retty things, to banish the marks of 
struggle and of toil. \\'e have innnortalized Lincoln, 
until the homely, lovable human characteristic of the 
real man are almost unl^nown to this generation. A\'e 
placed Washington ujjon a lofty ]K'destal in which all 
his human cliaracteristics ha\-e been absorbed in his greatness. 

It is well for us to remember that in all life 
there is I)altle and combat wherever there is honor. 
It is the higher tribute that out of such battle and 
combat, such a life as that of William McKinley should 
have emerged at the close unsullied and unspotted, victor 
over the influences which would have used him and 
marred him if they could. 

Neither denunciation nor abuse, and both o\ them 
in lull measure were heai)ed ujion him, swerved him 
from his chosen course, and before the close of life 
both had been forgotten in the grandeur of the man. 

46 



THE NATloXAl. McKIXIJ'A' I'.I RTl 1 1'LACl-: MIlMoRIAI. 

Long ago the words of his (k-tiaclors, as hitter as any 
which have marked our history, classing him, t(jo, as a 
"dcstructionist"' and a "wcakHng," have faded from tlie 
memorv of his coiuurynien, l)iU the splendor of the 
man almscd grows greater as ihe contrast is revived. 

Four factors in the greatness of McKinley i would 
enumerate today. 

The first was his unswerving devotion to a prin- 
ciple, luirly in his puhlic life. President Hayes, seeing 
the signs of coming prominence in the youthful Con- 
gressman, advised him to choose one line of national 
affairs and stick to it. "To achieve success and fame 
you must pursue a special line," advised the President, 
and he pointed out the tariff, as a suhject that would 
not be settled for years. McKinley accepted the advice. 

There was little a])out the industrial situation here 
or abroad that he did not come to know. With 
sledge hammer blows he drove home the facts in legis- 
lative halls and on pul)lic rostrum. I am not unmindful 
of the fact, and many here will remember, that in this 
city of Xiles at the o])ening of the state campaign of 
1891, he delivered one of the most notable of his 
addresses upon the American policy of protection. It 
was here he prophesied the coming prominence of the 
tin plate industry, fostered and developed by his policies, 
even here in your own city. 

And when at last there came to him opportunity to 
direct the development of these protective policies 1<ir 
which he had so long fought, there came as a result 
the greatest development in the history of American com- 
merce, within a single year, under his administration, the 
balance of trade in this country became almost twice as 
large as it had been in the whole hundred years from 

47 



.McKixiJcv .mi:morial 

W ashiiiylon to McKinley. W lial a message he would 
liavc today for this land of ours, dependent for its 
temporary prosperity upon the war orders of its blood- 
soaked friends across the sea, eould he Init come back 
and point (Hit the n^al path thai lies ahead of our 
industries when once the combat shall have ceased. 

The second factor in the greatness of McKinley was 
iiis capacity for friendship. Noted in his early life, this 
characteristic became more and more an important factor 
as his career developed. lie was easil\ approached; his 
greeting and his action were of such a nature as to 
win for imixersal esteem. ]\lore often than not, his 
refusal won admiration and friendsliip. The tribute to 
this quality of his life is spoken from thousands of 
pages that llll our lil)raries in his memory. 

Closely allied with this was his poise and bearing. 
Before he spoke McKinley knew his subject thoroughly; 
else he kept silent and by his silence as much as by 
liis speech won respect and honor. lie never played to 
the grandstand or the galleries. He was not accustomed 
to nmch speaking. l)ut when he sjioke, it was with 
authority. lie was always ]M"epared. This was an ele- 
ment of his great strength in Congress, and it played 
a most important part in his achievement. 

The third factor in the greatness of ]\lcKinley to 
which I would make reference was his cai)acity to dis- 
cern the will of the jieople. \\ ith an unerring judgment 
he foresaw what the pcoi)le would wish to do and 
guided ihem aright to tla- aceoni])Iishnunt of iheir own 
purposes. He was noi a man who would attempt to 
draw the ])eople where they were not ready to go. He 
led them wisely in their chosen pathwa\s. 

48 



Till': XA'i'ioXAi. McKixi.i:v I'.iK'nirLAci-: .mi:m()Riai, 

Ami in llii^. I lulicxr, lie tlir iii(li^|Hit;il)lr prmifs 
(if tlu' 54rc;iliu-ss as a statesman oi William McKink-y ; 
Ik- U(1 his people wisely in their chosen pathways. I-ong 
ago we accepted as settled his dictnni that the monetary 
standards of this nation nuisl not he impaired in any 
way. llis tariff ])olicies liave a,u;ain and a.^ain foimd 
conlirmation in the welfare of his people. I'lOimd np 
with these were the great hatlles of his life. 

I'.ut it was not, ])erha])s, in the carrying out of 
these policies, that he exerted the greatest inlluencc oil 
our natiiinal history. This came in McKiidex's handling 
of oiu" foreign alTairs at a time of crises, unequalled 
since the L'ivil War. To his credit is to he ])laced the 
nation's entrance into world politics. Prior to his time, 
the I'nited States had lieen considered an isol.ated, new'- 
wiirld n.itinn. Mainly because of his ahle leadership 
there came a new era which gave and is to give wide 
influence in w<irld rifi'airs to this western peo])le. T shall 
not ])au>e today to discuss the implications of tliis new 
policy. I shall ])ause only to say th;it the nation i<id;iy 
faces revdlutiiui. .anarchy and chans in the Philippines if 
we shall nut return, ;ind that slmrtly, to the wise policy 
that he inaugurated. 

These were the great policies of his ]iuhlic career. 
And crowning his achievements as a legislator and execu- 
tive, let me meutinn a-^ a chief element of his great- 
ness, his blameless private life as a Christian gentleman. 
No man, more than McKinley, has typified the best of 
American life, privately or ])ublicy. 

Every day as 1 look out from my office in the 
state house at Coluiubus, T see the statue that has been 
erected to his luemory upon the spot where William 
McKinley was wont, twice a day, to turn and bid fare- 

49 



^IcKTXLEV ^Il'.MORIAL 

well to his dcvoU'd invalid wife in the Xeil House 
across the street before he look u]) the cares of office. 
\o man ever gave the American people a more splendid 
example of devotion that William McKinley gave in his 
loyaltv to his invalid wife. It is one of the sweetest 
stories of our race. 

All through the years he was as loyally devoted to 
the ideals of his early faith. He was always a Chris- 
tian gentleman. When the assassin struck him down, 
his hrst thought was not of himself but of the miser- 
able man who had done him harm; and then he thought 
of his wife. When the end caiue, amid the nation's sobs. 
lie simi)l_\- murmured, "It is ( lod's way. His will be done." 

To these characteristics of Williaiu McKinley we pay 
honor toda\-. No monmueiit which man can build can 
pa\- too high tribute to his memory. P.ut no monument 
that can be erected will more than call attention to 
the heroic elements of this life. Able, honest, loyal, 
devoted to his ideals, with a percei)tion of the way to 
greatness in the aUairs of his nation, he wrought and 
accom|)lislu'd far bexond the ordinary possil)ilities of lite. 

With lames lloxle. his |)rivate secretary as Governcir 
of Ohio, we ioin todav in this tribute: 

"So long as ])atriotism, good citizenship, faithfulness 
to domestic \irtues, dexotion to official duties, and the 
broadest hitman charit\- and kindliness are ])rized, so long 
will .McKinley's life and exatuple be an inspirati(m, atid 
so long will his memory be a benediction." 

"He is gone; his life has left us 
With its lesson yreat and i^dcwl: 
BiU the memory remaineth 
Where the brij^ht exanijilc stood; 
.\ii(l that star which to the heavens 
Shot from earth that dismal niLjhl, 
O'er a world made ])urer, better. 
I'lvermorc shall she(l its liy;ht." 

50 



IMIl-: XAIIoXAI. MiKINI.l-.N' P.I IMI I IM.ACl-: MI".M(»KI\I, 

Address ot lion. Mntdii I. I Icrrick, Ex-AmWass.iilor to I'rancc 
( )ii the iri->i 111 ;i l'>ii\ liill in ( aiituii tlurc stands 
a .slau-l\ niiiiiiiiiu'm cuiniiu-moraliiii^' tlic lilc, and the 
>(.'rvicc III llic iiaiiiiu nt William McKink-y. It overlooks 
the cily of iiis addiition, tlu- scenes <ii' lii> \<imh. and 
the simple Imnu- I'mni which he went out t>i liec<ime 
IVcsident of the liiitcd States. The m<Muimcm hears 
this inscription: "This memurial was erected li\' the con- 
trihulions of nmre tlian <iiie million men, wmnen and 
children in the liiiled States. and man\ others oi 
foreign lands." 

That monument helongs in a wider sense to all the 
people. This memorial huilt near the site of his father's 
humble cottage in which he first saw the light of da\ . 
seems more intimate and jiersonal, and will e\oke a 
deeper sentiment in the iiearts of those who knew and 
loved McKinley before the world claimed him. His 
thoughts often reverted here; it was to Xiles that he 
came to open his camjiaign when nominated for gov- 
ernor of ()liio. \nu will remember the day. and your 
gratitude for the compliment he thus paid you. 

He spoke from ;i platform beside yonder school 
building. How feelingly he recalled the days of his boy- 
hood. ;md said that he wanted to make his first s])eech 
of the camjiaign to \<iu, and to share his new honors 
with ids old friends. ^'ou well know that he did not 
come to win \-our votes: he knew where your votes 
would be cast as well as he knew where your lieart? 
were. 'S'ou were touched b\- the sentiment he exi)ressed: 
rejoiced in the opportunity- to pay liim iKuuage. and 
ioved liim for the man tliat he was. 

McKiidey possessed in alnmdant measure those qual- 
ities of mind and iieart which pre-eminently fitted liim 

51 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

for tlic lii.uh i)lace he occupied, and he had in addition 
the rare s^ii'l of winning and holding the affection of 
those with wlioni he was associated, and even of those 
with wlioni lie onl}' came in passing contact. More than 
this, he had that most unusual (piality of greatness — 
such as was jjossessed l)y Prince William of Orange, 
and Lincoln, and a few other great men in history — 
that of winning the love and loyalty of those who had 
never even seen him. l^ong before McKinley became 
President, he was the idol of a vast number of people, 
who read eagerly everything written by him or about 
him, and loved him. Hero worship is a common attribute 
of Americans, especially of those in the humbler walks 
of life, and McLinley became the hero of a great multi- 
tude of such i)eople long before he was called to the 
Presidency. 

When ( iovernor. while traveling in a western state 
with a friend, he made a sim])le inquiry of a laborer, 
who answered indifferently without looking up. In con- 
versation with the friend. Mcl\inlc\'s identity was dis- 
closed, whereupon the man immediately doffed his hat, 
held out his hand, and proffered assistance for the 
entire day if needed. As McKinley left, the man said: 
"Some day you will be our President." As they drove 
away the Governor said to his friend: "It is strange, 
but throughout the entire countrv people of that class 
seem to know me and to have a genuine feeling of 
friendship for me. It is incidents like this which cause 
me to think 1 may some day become President ; their 
su])port wduld be a force to be reckoned with." 

All through the summer of his first cani]iaign for 
the Presidenc)', Canton was thronged with men who 
came to sec and hear McKinley: the l.iwn about his 

52 




Ch. 



MYRON T. HERRICK 

C.mm.ttee. TKc National McKmlcy B.rtKpl.ce 



-lal nsaocialt 



McKIXLEY .Ml'.MOkrAL 

house where the grass grew green in ihe snnmier was 
bare and l)ruwn in the fall where countless thousands 
of laboring men from all over the country had stood 
in wrapt attention listening to McKinley as he spoke to 
them from his door-step. That was a unique incident 
m the history of American politics, an instance of the 
devotion which working peoi)le everywhere felt for him. 

It was precisely that friendship that made him Presi- 
dent: the other candidates and the great party leaders 
who opposed him in the beginning were powerless against 
that overwhelming sentiment, and one by one gave way 
and came to him. 

p^ew men in all the ages have so laid hold on the 
hearts of a ])eoi)le as ]\IcKinle_\' did. When Prince 
William of Orange died, women and children cried in 
the streets; men, women and children all over the world 
wept when Lincoln was shot. ]\JcKinle}'s death was a 
personal, ])()ignant grief to millions of his countrymen. 

No President has been heller iiualii'ied than McKinle}- 
for that great ollice. lie was a i)rofound student of human 
nature: he knew men and their molixcs almost instinc- 
tivelv and he understood the economic and social condi- 
tions and tendencies of the limes. W hen industry was 
tending strongly toward great combinations he sensed 
tile dangers of that course, and soughl to remedy them. 
lie believed these dangers could be averted wilhout dis- 
rupting the business of the counlr\. ll was he who 
i)egan the Xorlhern Securities Case, the initial procedure 
in that direction. ^'et he fully comprehended the value 
of big business and organization for the conipiesl of 
over-seas trade, which had then become most imjxirlanl. 

54 



■rill', XAiioNM. .\kki.\i.i:n iuk run.. \ri'. mi:.\1()UI.\i. 

Kiiliard ()liu-\ ««iki- s;ii(l ..i limi: •I'Ik- art i.i jm. lilies 
is l<> acliifxc ri.-sulis, — and tliis al>ilil> lie had williont 
siipi'iior in his tinu-. ' 

.McKinky pircrixiii tlu- iniixirlaiicc- of uiainlaiiiiii}^^ rij^dit 
ii-laliiMis uiili otluT nations. and his i-ondiicl of tin- 
S]»anish War and of onr jiarl in llic r.o.xcr rchcllioii, 
and hi.s views on international (|nestions rellcclcd a broad 
and generous coin]ii\lii-nsion of the ehan^inj^ ])osition of 
the I'nited Slates toward the rest of the world. With 
sui)reine conlidcncc he proceeded to readjust the country 
lo tlic spirit of the new era into which the Sjjanish 
\\ ar had ushered us. Under heavy pressure many able 
men ,141) down, but it was in emerjj^encies tlial McKinley 
rose to his greatest heights. ])roving- equal to all demands. 

Whilst self-reliant and ])ossessed of well-defined views, 
he was in no sense bigoted, but was always willing to 
take counsel. Recognizing the wisdom of the law which 
|)rovides the President with a cabinet, he surrounded 
himself with important and able men. before whom he 
laid all (|uestions of governmental policx and often of 
appointments, and the nation profited by their calm 
deliberation and mature decisions. 

The confidence of the country was always his; he 
understood and lo\ed the people, and they understood 
and loved him. and best of all. he heli)ed them to 
understand eacii other. Through his patriotic efforts the 
war of sectionalism between North and South came to an 
end: the creation ,>{ the ".Vew South" made his admin 
istration a success if he bad achieved nothing else. He 
realized that prosperity as a nation was essential to con- 
tentment anfl jirogress. and his hold on the alTection of 
the people gave him an inlluence through which he was 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

able to briiij; labor and cai)ilal niore into harmony. He 
maintained the balance and nioUilled class hatred. Like 
the great .Master, he ruled by lo\e, not by hate and fear. 

There was an alm(>si)here of friendliness and social 
calm in Washington during his administration. Political 
animosities were put aside, and peace and good will 
prevailed. His must savage denunciatnr and opponent in 
the House, who boasted his lack of evening clothes and 
his hatred of social amenities, finally donned a "Tuxedo" 
(he could not go so far as a "tailed" coat), and 
meekly put his legs under the White House table when 
McKinle\ 's ])enign influence was radiated upon him. 

In the inscription at the base of the statue which 
stands before the memorial in Canton, Mclvinley is de- 
scribed in these words: "A statesman singularly gifted 
to unite the discordant forces of go\'ernment and mould 
the diverse i)urposcs of men toward iirogressive and salu- 
tary action — a magistrate whose poise of judgment was 
tested and vindicated in a succession of national emer- 
gencies, good citizen, bra\e soldier, wise executive, helper 
and leader of men, exemplar to his people of the virtues 
that build and conserve the state, society and the home." 
Time and distance ha\e but demonstrated the truth of 
that description, and the value of that ability and that 
character to the country. 

He brought us from om- era of exclusiveness into 
new world relations. The i)atriotism, the wisdom, the 
far-seeing vision that guided him, are alive today in 
America to lead us as we enter through a world crisis 
upon anotlier period of history, into wdiich as yet can 
see but dimlw .\merica is fundamental])- idealistic. Dur- 
ing the era of exi)loitation that has obtained since the 
Civil War wc have been so absorbed in matters of 

56 



TIM". NATIONAL MrKINI.I.V 111 R 11 I I'l.Ai !•: MI'MoUIAI. 

nialcrial prosperity thai i>ur idealism has soiiiciimos sfcmc<l 
to become corroded. Ihit even those threat economic and 
imlustrial movements liave heen possible because tliey 
were leil hv men oi \i\iii imaijination, prompt initiative, 
and ideahstic Ieni]>eranient. At hiart we are not sordid; 
we respoml to hij^li sentiment ; we are always one with 
those who es])ouse the hit^hest ideals of civilization. 
Once tile ri^iit mite is sounded the original idealism 
im])l.inted in us l)y our f(jrefathers revives, for our 
nation I'urnishes tlie example, ])erh;i])S the only one in 
history, of a nationality fnuiided u])on one pure ideal, 
without material interests, by men who expatriated them- 
selves in order to attain justice and libertv. 



57 



McKlXIJ-A' .MI-:.M()R1AL 



Inscription on Cornerstone 
'I'lic following- inscTi])tion :i])])cars on the cornerstone 
of Xalional McKinley birthplace ^Memorial: 

Erected 1915 

To Perpetuate the Name 

and Achievements of 

William McKinley 

Twentv-tifth President 

of 

The United States of 

America 

Born. January 29th. 1843 

Died. .Septcmher 14th. 1901 



58 



Dcclicatu)n CcrcmDnics and Adclrcsses 

IIk- »K-tlio;ili()ii of tlu- N;ili<>n:il .Mcl\iiil(.\ l'.irllii)laco 
Mciuorial was a nolal)k- evtiU. attract inj,-^ t<> tlio city of 
Xilcs ail imiiK-nsc coticoursi.- ot" pcopK- fiiil)raciiij,' residents 
oi almost fvcry state and men (.ccupyinjj: liij,'h places in 
the national i^ox eminent. The innnher of nati<»nal olticials 
present was cnrtaileil hy reason of the fact that at the 
time the President and Congress were (leei)ly en}.,'-aged 
with the inonieiitoiis (|nestions arising from the war with 
tlennany. 'Ihe ceremonies consisted of a parade, followed 
l)v addresses and the dedicatory ritual of the ( irand 
Army of the Republic. 

After calling the large assemblage to order, Joseph 
G. r.utler. Jr., President of the National McKinley Birth- 
place Association and chainnan of the dedication, spoke 
brietlv, and other addresses were delivered, among which 
were those which follow: 

Mr. Butler's Address 
My dear h'riends:- — 

The dedication of this beautiful memorial me;ins more 
to me than most of \()u can fully understand. It is 
the culmination of more than seven years of persistent 
elTort. the crowning achievement of a long and busy 
life, and the evidence of trust and conlidence on the 
I)art of a host of generous friends. But it is even 
more than that. It means to me the discharging of a 
high duty on tlie part of the .\inerican people and the 
performance of an obligation on the jiart of the Mahoning 
\'alle\. .\nd it means that we have here given testi- 
inon\- of our love and veneration for one of .Xmerica's 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

greatest men, whose cliaracter and example deserve to 
be kept in perpetual memory. 

It was my privilege to know William McKinley . inti- 
matelv. He was m_\- friend from childhood to the end. 
I knew and loved him as a boy, as a man, as a 
gallant soldier, as a member of Congress, as Governor 
of this State, and as President of the United States. 
No gentler character ever li\ed than he. I have never 
known a friend more sincere and true. As a statesman, 
his work lives after him and speaks for itself. As a 
patriot he rendered to liis country "the last full measure 
of devoliun." What he did for America by his vision 
concerning our country's needs and his steadfast efforts 
on behalf of protection to our then struggling industries 
mav never be fullv kn(.)wn ; but it is safe to say that 
nuich of iiur present greatness and the proud position 
we occupy in the present crisis of the world's history 
would have been impossible if he had never lived. 

We have reared here on the spot wdiere he was 
born, within a stone's throw of the little old white 
school house where he attended as a boy, a structure 
worthy of its purpose because of its dignity and beauty, 
but even more so because it has lieen designed to 
benefit the living, as IMcKiulc}- would have it do. 

Today we dedicate this memorial to the honor of 
the man whose statue will here preserve the memory of 
iiis living form; but we must also dedicate ourselves to 
tile high things for which he is honored if they are 
to be ])reserved. J I is gentle S]iirit, his rectitude of heart, 
his love of country and his wisdom — these things cannot 
be cmb;dnu-d in mar])le. They are to be perpetuated 
only in our own hearts and in the hearts of our 
children, and there has never been a time in the history 

60 



Till': NA rioNAI. .MrKlNI.IA I; I Kll I I 'I.A( l'". MI-.MoklAI. 

of tlic wiirlii wlun i1k'_\- slmuM have siuli incaniiig for 
us as iinw. \\ lull \\ illiani McKinlcy spoke at llie deili- 
catiou of tlie iiiomiiiKiU erected tu tlic nieiiiury of 
soldiers and sailors at Cleveland, Ohio, jidy 4, 1894. 
he used these words: — 

■A\ e are the freest government on the face of the 
earth. Our strength rests in our i)atriotisni. Peace and 
order and security and lil)ert>- are safe as long as love 
of countrx hums in the hearts of the ])eo|)le." 

These are strong words in the light of our ])Osition 
toda\- as the only power on earth that can make the 
world safe for democracy. That we are such a i)Ower, 
and that our vast natural resources have been developed 
so rapi(ll\- as to he available on the side of right and 
justice and libertx' at this critical time, is due to the 
vision and tiie devotion to a great jirinciple of this man 
whose memory we seek to per])etuate and whose emula- 
tion this structure should inspire. The world owes him 
a debt as great as that of America — a debt that it can 
never adei|uately rejKiy. 

I should like to tell you something of what the 
erection of this beautiful Memorial has meant to me and 
to others. It would give me pleasure to tell you of 
the care and thought devoted to it by the Trustees of 
The National Mckinley Birthplace Memorial Association; 
of the generosity of the man\ friends whose contributions 
have made it possible; of the eti'ort made to secure a 
design that would suitably honor the man in whose 
memory it was built and at the same time permit it 
to be a useful and educational institution, such as Mc- 
Kinley would wish it to be. lUit there is not time for 
this, and I shall merely call your attention to the fact 
that, like other great and beautiful monuments, it has 

61 



McKlXLEY ^II'.MORIAL 

l)ccn eix-clcd for the living as well as for the dead, 
and thai in all of ns here present, as well as in the 
multitudes who will come to gaze upon it when we are 
gone, this Memorial to William AlcKinley, next to Lin- 
coln the best loved President of the United States, should 
inspire in some degree the i)urity and loftiness of his 
]patri(»tism. the gentleness. ])atience and serenity of his 
disposition, his undemagogic democracy and his l)road sym- 
pathy with human kind. 

The Dedicatory Address 

The achlress formally dedicating the Memorial to its 
jjurpose and to the people was delivered by Ex-President 
William II. Taft, who spoke as follows: 

The history of the world is the history of men. 
It is the historv of men in masses and contmlled more 
Mr less by individual leaders. As it is studied from 
the altitude uf due living centuries after, the real influ- 
ence of leadership is minimized in the currents in which 
;dl indixiduals seem compelled to swim. This, however, 
is not td depreciate the im])ortance of the individual and 
the leader. it is only more correctly In understand 
what real leadership is. This is, first, the perception of 
the elements of j)rogress that are slowl}' mo\ing in the 
minds of men toward a higher condition of society aitd 
the embodiment of these ])rogressive tendencies into a 
(lelinite expression. Second, there is a leadership, equally 
essential to ])rogress, by which this exiiression is carrietl 
into ])raclic;d steps. The slud\- of the lives of men who 
thus figure :is individual leaders in the i)rogress of people 
is of fascinating interest. On the one hand there is the 
reformer, the dreamer, the enthusiast who sees a vision, 
ajjparently impossible of realization, and who perhajjs in 
his own life is like one crying in the wilderness, but 

62 




WILLIAM H. TAFT 

Twcniy-aevenlh Prc-iidcnl of tKc United States. wKo de 
Dedicatory Address October 5, 1917 



ed the 



McKINLKV MEMORIAL 

whom the slowly evolving history is to vindicate long 
after his hody is dust. Then we have the man of the 
world, tile man of affairs, the man of action, who find- 
ing the i)ropaganda read\- to his hand, organizes the 
minds and activities of men into a consummation of the 
dream of the crusader. Among these men of action, we 
llnd brilliant and commanding geniuses, whose leadership 
is striking and brings out in high degree the opposing 
forces that must be overcome before victory is won. 
Then there are those, none the less eft'ective, none the 
less useful, whose forte is in the conciliation of differ- 
ences in those who are moving onward. Leaders there 
are who seem to have been created by Providence for 
a great emergency, whose genius and character and adapt- 
ability to the times are not to be explained except by 
I'ro\i(lenlial creation. Consider Lincoln, the obscurity of 
his birth and the squalor of his early surroundings, and 
the absolute absence of opportunity for education and 
develoi)ment. llis great qualities came from nowhere and 
seemed as unexplained as the product of Shakespeare's 
imagination, and continue to furnish now, half a century 
after his death, a study for the historians of all countries 
in solving the ever recurring question "How did he do 
what he did and become what he was?" There are 
other leaders whose beginning and progress, whose seizure 
of opportunity and improvement of it, whose rounding 
out of character and usefulness are the normal and to be 
expected results of their en\ironment from birth to death. 
\\ illiam McKinley was not an inexplicable genius 
struck like Minerva from the brain of Jove. He was 
tlic man of action, not the reformer and the dreamer 
of visions to come true. lie was the leader, but not 
far in advance of those whom he led. The progress of 

64 



Till-: XATIONAI. McKIXl.lA i;l IMl I I'l ..\( !■: MI'.MoKIAI. 

\us lik- 111' u.MiuliK-ss to ^rraliu.ss ami IcaikT^liip ran la- 
stiulifd sup li\ slcp ami tuilowcd as the rcasuiiabic 
tliMlopnifiil iroin his inherited (jualities of intellect, the 
omliiioiis of his Imlli, lii.s family iiilhieuce, his educa- 
tion, his forlunale irainiuL; by exi)erience and events for 
the ilischarge of oflicial res])onsil)ility until it grew intu 
that of the Chief Magistrate. In Mckinley's life there 
is no succession of startling changes whicli add much 
interest to the lives of other great leaders. Xormal de- 
velopment always lacks sensation — at least it fails to 
satisf\- the weakness of the human mind for the unusual 
anil the unexpected. A phase of that truth is found in 
the maxim "Happy the nation whose annals are tire- 
some."' Of that which is permanent and real, however, 
most is achieved slowdy, quietly and not b\ cataclysm. 
William McKinley was a country boy, born in this 
small Ohio town, of God-fearing Methodist parents, who 
retained the tenacious strain of their Scotch ancestry. 
I-Vom earl}- youth he disclosed his natural impulse to 
conform to the rules of life wdiich his surroundings sug- 
gested. Bright, attentive, dignified even as a boy. re- 
spectful, congenial, kind hearted, his bent was to regularity 
which the intluence of the strong personality of his 
parents gave his nature. His father was an active- 
minded, high principled member of the community, not 
highly educated, but familiar with the T.ible, Shakespeare 
and Dante. His mother had the element of leadership 
She with her sister ran the church and did everything 
to widen its inlluence and control, except to preach. 
McKinley was one of nine children, fonr boys antl live 
girls. A large famil\ of ver\ limited means is often 
of great advantage in forming the character of a boy 
or girl. It conii)els consideration for the claims ot 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

others. It creates a public opinion and standard in the 
family which stimulate the members to self restraint 
and self denying effort. The eldest child in the Mc- 
kinley family was a sister Anna, a teacher for thirty 
years. Her strength of character, like that of the mother 
and her high ambition for her brother, helped much to 
make him what he was. The whole family moved from 
Xiles, where there was no opportunity for education, to 
Poland in Mahoning County, where there was an academy. 
The father continued his business at Xiles during all 
those years and visited his family only at week ends. 
A life of sacrifice for his children. Poland Academy 
gave the secondary education to which most of the 
youth of the period were limited. The war cut off 
McKinley's ojiportunity for a college edtication. He en- 
listed as a Private at eighteen, was constantly at the 
front and in many engagements, winning promotion in 
tiie normal way, not by great military genius, but by 
courage and quiet pursuit of duty in all hardships and 
dangers until four years later he graduated from the 
army a Major at twenty-two. While thus he lacked a 
University education, he had acquired in that four years 
of trial and hardship, a knowledge of himself and of 
his physical and mental courage which was far more 
valuable to him in the struggles that lay ahead than 
if he had been able to take an academic degree. He 
came to the liar in 1867 and practiced assiduously for 
ten years accjuiring a broad knowledge of the practical 
operation of the law, than which there is nothing more 
useful to prepare a statesman. He made his home after 
iie came to the Bar at Canton, in Stark County, where 
his sister Anna had preceded him. 

66 



THE XATIUXAL McKlXIJ'.V IM RTl 1 PLACE MEMORIAL 

It was iiKvilalik- lli;il a luan ulio had l)ccn lliruugh 
the war, aiul who alter distinguished service had cunic 
out as a .\hijor at twenty-two and who had commend- 
able anihiiion should soon liiul an opportunity to gratify 
it. Such a man was valuahli' l^ the part)- in the 
locality where he livetl, and with his taste lor political 
issues and his eflorts to prepare himself, with his w^in- 
ning- ([ualities of person and address, we are not sur- 
prised to tind him speaking for his old Colonel and 
Commander, Rutherford B. Llayes, in the gubernatorial 
campaign of 18O7, and running for the oflice of Prose- 
cuting Attorney of Stark Count}- in 1869. In this con- 
test his attractive qualities won him the election against 
a normal adverse Democratic majority. 

Xo training of a professional kind is better adapted 
to fit a man for tlie forcible, simple and clear presentation 
of fact and argument tiian the Prosecuting Attorney's 
otitice. It carries the incumbent into a study of all 
classes of society, into examination of witnesses, into 
the weighing of evidence, and more than tliat, into the 
discussion of controverted issues to persuade the lay 
mind of twelve men, of average intelligence. Of course, 
in the argument of a few great cases, elaborate prepara- 
tion may be made, but in the routine of a Prosecuting 
Attorney's duties, he has not such opportunity. He must 
i)e ready at once. Such constant practice creates a habit 
of clarity of statement, of epigrammatic force of argu- 
ment, and of comprehensive and concise treatment of 
each case. It trains one in selecting from mass of 
evidence the salient points of the case and clothing them 
in simple, direct language of the people so as to fix 
his view in the minds of the jury. Tliere have been 
men of great promise whose ease of expression, so valu- 

67 



McKIXLl',V MF.MORIAL 

able in llicir carl_\ career in the enil has stunted their 
growth and disaii]X)inted e\])ectation. Their fluency has 
made them content with tlie inspiration of tlie moment, 
and tlieir addresses have lacked orderly arrangement, con- 
ciseness of statement and argument, and originality and 
force of thought. I'hey fall into graceful platitudes and 
a sclf-satisf}ing- verbosity. McKinley's course was very 
different. His speeches in Congress and on the stump 
and as President showed always the effect of careful 
I)reparat.ion — never too long, always clear. They were 
grouped around one or more epigrammatic texts, success- 
fully worked out to fasten his thought in the minds 
of his hearers. 

He was a most successful practical political speaker, 
lie never slopped over. The natural excitement of the 
occasion, the enthusiasm of his audience, prompted by 
the love they felt for the man never led him to exces- 
sive or unwise expression. Applause never disturbed his 
poise. This was as much due to his habit of careful 
preparation as it was to his fair-mindedness, his level- 
headedness and his judicial moderrLtinn of mind and 
thought. He had the faculty of directing and accepting 
the work of others in his i)reparation. That which he 
took he made his own by conforming it to his critical 
nicely of judgment in matter of style and limitation 
of meaning. 

A man of substantial figure but not tall, df most 
dignified and graceful bearing, with a beautiful profile 
and fine head and eye, he was marked in an assembly 
in which he took jiarl. As he >p()ke. he attracted at 
first the altenliou, then the symi)athy, and finally the 
conviction of his audience. 1 will long remember the 
profound imi)ression he made tipon me, then a \dung 

68 



ril|-. XA'IK tXAI. MrKIXl.lA P. I K I 1 1 1'LACE MEMORIAL 

stiidriii Ml ilu- law, on the platform of the great 
political cunvfiilion, the rrsiilt of wliicii 1 had a deep 
personal interest and in which Major MeKinlcy was 
prcssini;- the other side. It seemed to me 1 had never 
seen npon liie platform a Inier tigure, bearing, face or 
head. lie was said to resemble Xajxdeon. There may 
lia\e been something in the contour ol his face and 
head that suggested this. Iml the dissiniil.arity of the 
two men in character was so complete that the sugges- 
tion was superlicial. Mckinley's broad s\nipathies and 
kindlv heart found sincere and convincing expression in 
his manner and address. His invariable kindness won for 
him the attachment and intense personal loyalty of those 
with whom he came in contact. lie had the wonderful 
faculty of retaining; the good will of applicants for 
favors which he could not grant. He could refuse a 
man an office and make him hap])ier llian the other 
Presidents in giving one. This was the secret of much 
of the influence which he welded, not only with the 
jjolitical sui)porters Ijul with those who were arrayed 
against him. He had in a marked degree consideration 
for the feelings of the others. He brighteneil the inti- 
macv of old friendships and of his ofllcial relations to 
others by little kindly aileniiou- which, in ilie pressure 
of his great ofticial duly and the exce])tional strain of 
his familv anxiety, most men would never have remem- 
bered, lie was a partisan and believed in parties. He 
l)elieved in lo\;dt\- to party principles. lie believed in 
party organizations and belie\ ed in striking efl'ective blows 
in party conventions and for party victory. But you will 
search his speeches from one end to the other and fmd 
nothing of acrimony, nothing of exaggerated denimciation. 
nothing of perscMial bitterness or resentment, though the 

69 



McKlNLEY MEMORIAL 

temptation was often present. One may well learn from 
his political career the wisdom, strength and convincing 
force of moderate statement. One may learn that while 
superlatives and epithet may seem for the time to 
rouse one's followers to more enthusiastic attachment to 
a leader, they do not win support from the impartial 
or the opposition, but onl}- rouse criticism and resent- 
ment. Hence it was that when McKinley came to the 
White House, he seemed to have as many friends among 
Democrats as among- ivcpul)licans. His experience in Con- 
gress w^as of the utmost use to him as President. He 
was able to exert an exceptional influence in Congress, 
not by patronage or appeal to constituencies, but by 
the persuasive and pervasive eltect of his kindly nature, 
and by his knowledge, as of the usual motives of members, 
of the unwritten customs and traditions of Congress and 
of the real leaders in legislation. This was especially 
apparent in the conduct of the Spanish War. He greatly 
promoted the obliteration of sectionalism by welcoming 
into his councils, southern leaders and b}- appointing to 
the army old Confederate ( ienerals. The North and the 
SoiUii were welded together by the patriotic spirit raised 
by the Spanish War. and Mckinley's generous and non- 
partisan manner of conducting it. So, too, in his great 
work in the Philippines, he allowed no partisan consider- 
ation to efifect the selection of the agents who tmder 
his guidance were to carry on that important construc- 
tive work. 

Tt must not be inferred that McKinley's nature was 
a milk and water one, or one full of cant. He had 
nothing of this. He had a strong sense of humor. 
This argues generally a sense of proportion and often 
helps to prevent an overweaning sense of self-importance. 

70 



rill. NA rio.XAl. MrKIM.l'A' P.I U Tl I I'LACI-: M I:M< )U I AI. 

ll il dcvclups iiilo a sharpness uf attack and becomes 
barbed, it is dangerous to the user. Major Mckinley's 
diiii political rival in his own party Mr. Reed, though 
noi uanlini; in hioad huiuau s\nipathy, lost political 
support 1)\- NJeldiiii; tn tlu' U-niiilati<>n of liis e.\ceptii)nal 
power of caustic wit. 

McKinlev's tastes, abilities antl interests lay in poli- 
tics and in public affairs, and be liad no ambition for 
wealth. .\ller he bail been ten years a leading member 
of the House be said: "When I began as a member 
I had vSio,ooo and .^lo.oew a year and now I have 
neither." He liveil simply and yearned for no other 
kind of life. He took it as the necessary accompani- 
ment of the common approval which he wished to have. 

MclN.inle\'s invariable kindness and sympathy won for 
him the attachnienl and intense loyalty of his ])arty. 
He had the wonderful faculty of retaining the good will 
of applicants for favors which he could not grant. He 
could refuse a man an office and make him happier 
than other Presidents in giving one. 

McKinley's career is divided easily by three great 
national issues, the tariff, the currency and national expan- 
sion. He was nurtured ami educated and lived all his 
])rofessional and political life in a region in which the 
tariff was deemed essential to prosperity and progress. 
His father and his grandfather had been managers of 
iron furnaces and the wisdom of developing the mineral 
and manufacturing resources of the country by the en- 
couragement of a protective tariff was a part of the 
web and woof of his inherited political faith, strength- 
ened by his study of his immediate surroundings, and 
bv the principles of the party with whicli he completely 
afliliatcd himself. Entering Congress in 1877 he made 

71 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

llie tariff the chief study of his congressional life, and 
he mastered the details of the suhjcct, which in the 
;)rotective system involves investigation into innumerable 
fields of production. 

In his patient thorough way, Mr. McKinley took up 
the committee work, before he sought to impress him- 
self upon his followers in the House by speaking. He 
was not misled, as so many are, by seeking prominence 
and attracting newspaper notice by speeches in the House. 
He properl}- thought that hard work must be the founda- 
tion of leadership and usefulness in a legislative career 
as in any other, and that he was willing to give. His 
congressional life covered the fourteen years from 1S77 
to 1891. In that fourteen years he had forged ahead 
to be a leader of the Repulilican party. As Chairman 
of the \\"a}-s and Means Committee, he prepared the 
so-called McKinley Tariff 13111, enacted and going into 
force in 1S90. it had to be submitted to the iudgment 
of the people at the election the next month. The 
grossest misrepresentation of its operations, and the bit- 
terness of the ojiposition with which it was fought in 
its passage through Ci)ngress, led in the elections to 
the overw^helming defeat of tlie part\- responsible for its 
enactment. This seemed to fore-close McKinley's advance- 
ment. Convinced, however, as he was of the national 
need for protection, he treated the defeat as only a 
stronger reason lor returning to the struggle, and in 
the campaign of 1894, four years later, the country gave 
evidence of a change of heart. 

Meantime, a very complete organization was effected 
l}y his friends to secure his nomination for the Presi- 
dency, lie had been elected Governor of Ohio in i>>q\ 
and again in 1893. I'lc position of (governor of Ohio, 

72 



Till-: XA ri( ).\.\i, McKiM.i'A mu riin.ACR mi-.mokiai. 

lioiioraliU' ami di^nirKMl as it was, under llu- lla-n oon- 
slitution 111' llic State, gave its uccui)aiU very little actual 
(ir (lirect control of the State policy. Its patronage was 
I lull conl'med largely to ofticers and employees of the 
rharitahle institutions of the state and there was little 
other power init that of pardoning. The resentment 
against the arbitrary methods of .\rlhur St. Clair, the 
territorial governor, had survived by tradition and affected 
iwo constitutions. The Ohio governorship was, however, 
sought as a stepping stone to more important places. 
It was an admirable position for a Presidential candidate, 
i)ecause it kepi him well before the public eye without 
absorbing his lime and energy and nervous vitality in 
the duties of the office. McKinley's election as Governor 
in 1S91, a non-Congressional year, was a personal tribute 
10 his great popularity and strength before the peopJe, 
.and his conduct of the gubernatorial office did not injure 
his growing national prominence as Presidential timber. 
The Republican party out of power and place for a full 
lerm was looking for a candidate who could unite the 
parly and give it strength. The author of the Mc- 
Kinley Bill, whose popularity had been meantime tested 
by his two elections as Governor of Ohio, became a 
formidable candidate for the Prcsideiuial uMininaliun. When 
the hard times of from (1893 to i8ijO) turned men 
toward protection again. In the convention of 1892 
when Harrison was renominated, there was a strong 
movement by the opponents of Harrison to- heat him 
by the use of iMcKinley's name. AIcKinley. pledged to 
Harrison's candidacy, and heading the Ohio delegation, 
and presiding over the convention, refused to permit the 
use of his name to defeat the candidate to whom he 

7Z 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

was in honor comniiucd, and this, after Harrison's defeat 
in 1892, added to McKinley's availability for the contest 
in 1896. 

The Treasury deficit left by Mr. Cleveland's admin- 
istration, required immediate measures to increase the 
income when McKinley became President. The Dingley 
tariff act framed on the lines of the McKinley act. 
remained on the statute book until eight years after 
McKinley's death. In the development of the industries 
of the country which followed the enactment of the 
Dinglev act, was found the vindication of the judgment 
which devised the McKinley bill and insisted on its 
wisdom, in the face of its overwhelming popular con- 
demnation in the election of 1890. McKinley was a 
protectionist on principle. He was not able to work 
out his theories fully because of opposition in his own 
party, but he studied the operation of the tariff and 
what it had done for the country, and he was pro- 
gressive in his purpose to change the rates of duties 
when they could be safely reduced to prevent their 
abuse. His last speech at Buft'alo indicated his desire 
and anxiety so to amend the law as to make the 
tariff as little of an interference with our foreign exchanges 
and trade as possible, consistent with the protection of 
American industry against the untoward conditions of 
labor and its cost in other countries. In my own 
judgment, this is the view that the Republican party 
now has. It will be embodied in its legislative policy 
'Should power be given it again and McKinley's calm 
judgment and foresight will be respected. Real honor 
will be done to his memory by accepting as sound his 
foreshadowing of the proper course to pursue in the 
adjustment of a protective tariff to changed conditions. 

74 



THE NATIONAL McKlXLl'A' HI R 11 1 1 'I .ACI'. MI'.MCJRIAl. 

iMcKinlcy did not Ir.id liis party in the- currency 
question as lie did on the tariff. Vet circumstances 
forced him intt) a leadership which brouf^ht him the 
greatest victory of iiis life. The issue over the currency 
began alter the Civil War. The exigencies of the great 
struggle were supposed to re(iuire the issuing of non- 
interest pa\ing certificates of indebtedness by the (iovern- 
ment to pay its debts and to form the medium ot 
exchange. As in the use of all such devices, the 
falling credit of the government drove out every other 
form of money and left the whole business of the 
country lo be carried on in greenbacks. The ease with 
which money might be made on a printing press, lured 
nian\ after tlie war into tlie support of a policy of 
irredeemal)le paper money. Parties were divided on the 
issue. It ajjpeared in the Ohio campaign for Governor 
between Hayes and Allen, in which Hayes' success made 
him the Republican nominee for the Presidency in 1876. 
Haves and Tilden were both hard money men, however, 
and so the issue in greenbacks disappeared from Na- 
tional politics. Meantime, however, many able men in 
both parties embraced the doctrine of bi-metallism. which 
looked to the maintenance of a double standard of gold 
and silver at a fixed rate, to be maintained by agree- 
ment between tlie nations. The demonetization of silver, 
wliich had taken place in 1872. when neither gold nor 
silver were circulating as currency, it was said had so 
exalted the importance of gold and the demand for its 
use as a medium that the standard of value had been 
greatly enhanced to the disadvantage of the debtor and 
the advantage of the creditor. .\s the prospect of inter- 
national agreement grew dim. the advocates of action by 
this Government alone grew numerous. The doctrine ac- 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

quired sucli a strength in the silver produeing states 
and in the West generally. The market value of gold 
as compared with that ol silver was as 30 to one. 
The legislation proposed would untlou])tedly drive out the 
gold dollar and leave the silver dollar at its intrinsic 
value of about 50 cents. This would have been a 
scaling and repudiation of all debts by half. The 
doctrine was a taking one, because the times were hard, 
and many were out of work. ]\IcKinley knew the 
strength of the free silver theories in the western states 
among Republicans. He had himself been a bimetallist 
and had himself criticised the single standard gold 
Democrats for their hostility to silver, but further con- 
sideration satisfied him that a bi-metallic standard could 
not be maintained without international agreement of the 
great connnercial nations of the world, and he was 
driven by logic to the maintenance of the standard 
as it was, which was a gold standard. Nevertheless, 
with his political acumen he saw the importance of 
preventing a break in the Republican party until the 
convention was held, imtil the natural cohesion that such 
a conference strengthened could ha\e operation, until the 
inlluence of other important issues like the tariff could 
be used to keep as small as possible the faction likely 
to withdraw when the gold standard was proclaimed as 
part of the Republican ])olicy. His foresight in this 
respect was juslilied for no split came until the CDUven- 
tion, and then it was only in few of the far western 
states whose electoral \oic was not likelv to be con- 
trolling. Only gradually he did take up the currency 
question, only sometime after the beginning of his speeches 
did he use the word "gold" although it had been intro- 
duced into the platform with his approval and consent. 

76 



THE NATIONAL McKlXLlA' I'.I IMI I I'I.A( !•: MI.MoUIAI. 

It lias oltin Iktii said and i>rnl)al>l\ with triilli. that 
liad a vutc Ijl-cd taken carl\ in ilu' campaiL;!! -.i i.S</>, 
tlic ircc silver issue and Mr. IWyan would have carried 
the ccmnir\- triumpliantlN . lUil business took alanu and 
a campaign was begun with a fund larger than any 
over used in a Presidential eanipaign before or since. 
The funds were free will contributions of those who 
thought they faced repudiation, governmental dishonor and 
business disaster. It stimulated a great campaign of 
education which carried conviction to the minds of the 
laboring people of the country that they were a creditor 
class and not a debtor class; that free silver would 
divide their wages and that only after a long struggle 
could they hope to secure the equivalent in jnirchasing 
capacity. In this way, under McKinley's leadership, cap- 
ital and labor were united in a political campaign as 
never before nor since. The Union was enthusiastic and 
widespread and McKinley represented prosperity equally 
to the capitalist, the manufacturer, and the men on a 
fixed salar\- and the laborin.L;- man. The whole people 
were aroused to the issue and after a tremendous strug- 
gle the cause of honest money won. It is perhaps 
useless to speculate on what might have hapjiencd in 
this country had Bryan been elected and his free silver 
theories been embodied in legislation, but looking back 
now some twenty years, T think we have a right to 
say that the defeat of iNIcKinley in 1896 would have 
spelt national disaster, repudiation, enormous speculation 
and an iniur\- to the credit of the government of the 
people and go\ernnicnt of the United States, that it 
would have taken half a century to overcome. Tt was 
McKinley's candidacy, with his political judgment, his 
great popularity, his clear, convincing, simple statement 

77 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

of the issue which made the victory possible. It seemed 
a great victory, but it was snatched from the probability 
of defeat. An examination of the election returns will 
show the great strength of the free silver movement 
and surprise many w'ho in a general way have regarded 
the election of 1896 as overwhelming. 

The third issue in which }tIcKinlc\- was the greatest 
personal factor was the expansion of the United States 
into a world power. The wretched cruel wooden headed 
government of Cuba l)y Spam brought on the Spanish 
War. The insincerity of Spanish promises, revealed in 
De Loma's correspondence, and the blowing up of the 
Maine in Havana harbor prevented McKinley from at- 
tempted settlement of the question by negotiation. He 
deprecated the war, moreover he sought its postpone- 
ment in the very wise and earnest desire to make the 
needed preparations. He exhibited great courage in de- 
laying the action of a vociferent Congress and he only 
yielded after events which he could not control forced 
his hand. 

As his own Chief of Staff, McKinley carried on the 
war and brought it to a successful conclusion. Of 
course, fortune was with us for she brought us to 
battle with a nation even less prepared for war than 
we were. liegun on the hrst of April there was a 
truce in .\ugust and a treaty signed in December. This 
was a record for dispatch which could hardly have been 
anticipated in the outset, and was due to the wretched 
weakness of the Spanish military and naval organization 
and equipment. 

Beginning the war in Cuba, we soon found ourselves 
by the fortune of war in possession of the Philippine 
Island, half round the w-orld. The problem, wdiat we 

78 



I'lll': NATIONAL MoklNLl-:\ l',l Kl 1 1 l'LA( I-. M I'.XK »U I Al. 

were to ilo \\iili llicin was put iiiioii Mi-kink-y there 
was a necessity lor iiuick (k■ci^il•ll. Maiiv peopk- were 
expansionists. Others insisted tliat our i;(.\ (.rnnient was 
untiUed to earr\' on a colonial (Icitenilency and that we 
must cither give ihein hack to Spain or leave the peojjk- 
of the island to estahlish a repnhlic. Mckinley had to 
feel his way in this juncture, and as he did so there 
grew in his mind a conception of the changed attitude 
of the United States to the world at large. The 
Spanish War was a little war, hut it was ^Teat in its 
conseqnence, not so much in making the LInited States 
a World Power as in disclosing to the jieople of the 
United States that their nuin'her, their wealth and their 
potential strength had made them a World Power whether 
they would or not. Mckinley saw and felt this and 
assumed leadership in tin- jiolicy of expansion. lie took 
over the Philippines and Porto Rico. He put his arm 
under Cuha to help her to independence. He urged and 
carried forward the project of the Isthmian Canal. He 
began a new era in the life of the United States. His 
successors in olTice followed him in this. The contrast 
between the situation of the country in Washington's 
time when the policy of isolation was adoi)te(l and our 
present position answers every objection to recognizing 
the ])art we nnist play in tlie family of nations. In 
Washington's day we were but 4,000,000 of jK-ople on 
the eastern seaboard, five times as far from I'.urope as 
we are today in speed of transportation. Now we have 
instant oonununicatiou of intelligence. We are a continent 
wide, with a ^rrat Pacific Coast. Hawaii and the Philii)- 
j)ines extend nuv reach across the Pacific. Alaska makes 
us a neighbor of Russia. The ownership of the Philip- 
pines under the eaves of Asia makes us an .'\siatic 

79 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

power. Our cunsiruction of tlie Panama Canal puts us 
in South AnuTica. Luba under our guardianship and 
protection, and J'orto Kico in our custody plant us in 
the West Indies. The Monroe Doctrine is becoming a 
more serious limitation upon European action than ever 
before. We could not keej) out of world politics if we 
would. That which affects the world affects us. We have 
not been endowed with the greatest wealth and power and 
potential force in the world without acquiring at the 
same time a responsibility for its welfare that we must 
share with other nations. The day of isolation is past. 
This is what ^IcKinley saw. This is what has brought 
us into this war. This is what has made it necessary 
for us to win the war, as an ally of the Democracies 
of the world, to make, in President Wilson's words — the 
world safe for democracy. AA e encountered the conquer- 
ing militaristic spirit of German}- in the Philippines and 
we found there the English s}-mpathy which prevented 
a breach of our relations at that time. The itching of 
the military caste for exiiansion l)y force has now in- 
volved all Europe in a vortex of war and destruction. 
It has murdered .American citizens on the high seas 
where they had a right to be, in urder to secure 
Germany the unembarrassed use of the submarine as a 
means of conquering England and Prance. The exigency 
of Germany and her disregard of decenc\- and liduor and 
international law have entangled and invohed us, as 
might have been anticijialed in tlic war itself. It is 
well that it is so. Were German\- successful in this 
war, had the I'nited States ])een able to stay out, we 
would have found ourselves in continued frictii)n with 
Germany until she thought the opportunity had come 
for her to strike. It is better for us, united with Eng- 

SO 



Till'. XATIOXAL AIcKIXI.I'.V P.I R'I'II F'F.Arp. MI'.MoKIAl, 

land and !• i ancL- and Russia and Ilaly, playing our 
proper pari in tiiis League to Enforce Peace, now to 
defeat the military caste of Germany that rules her 
military and foreign policy and end forever the recurring 
danger to permanent peace whicii their power and con- 
trol involve. (.)ur ])resent situation is a mere develop- 
ment of the tlisclosure of our real >iiualion in the world 
whicli McKinley recognized ami made preparation to meet. 

\\ ere McKinley alive today, how his patriotic heart, 
his hroad vision, his vibrant words would be united in 
supporting the government in its constructive measures, 
to carry on the great world struggle to victory. With 
what fn-nmess he would reject all pro])osilions to com- 
promise by ])ro])osals of a patched-up peace. The man 
who saw most clearly when others were blind to it. 
the real position of the United States in the world, 
would not fail to see that in the present issue no 
peace is possil)le until secure by victory, that no solu- 
tion is worthy of our history but a defeat of militarism. 

McKinley's assassination was as little related to his 
character, his policies, or his actions as if he had been 
killed in an accident to the Presidential railway train. 
He was a shining mark as President. 'I'hat was all. 
The shock io the country and the world was agonizing. 
The tense anxiety with wliich the Nation watched at 
the bedside of their loved one we can all remember 
and feel again. Hope rose and fell and then came 
blinding grief. 

]\!cKinle\"s greatness was disclosed not in early bril- 
liancy, not in fitful flashes of genius but in the steadv 
meeting of growing responsibilities. His thorough jirepara- 
tion for each task called forth tlie meded qualities to 
meet it. Even those who knew him well marvelled at 

81 



McKIXLEV MEMORIAL 

the expansion of his capacities lo solve new questions 
and lo overcome new trials. Modest, considerate, restrained, 
men sometimes thought him led hy a stronger nature. 
This did him injustice. He was always the pilot of the 
ship. \\ iih all his sweetness of nature, his plan and 
purpose were his own, and were clear cut. He was 
ever firm in adhering to them. It did not always so 
appear; I)ut to this he was indififerent. He was the 
master of his course. 

We are assemhled today to dedicate this heautiful 
Memorial to McKinley in the town of his hirth. The 
funds which have reared it have been contriltuted 
by his loving- friends and admirers. The energy that 
organized the plan and its execution has come from 
an old friend of McKinley's boyhood, and a loved 
associate of his whole life. AA'e may felicitate this friend 
upon the crowning of his work. The ^Memorial is worthv 
of the statesman over whose Hirlhplace it is reared. 
J^et us hope that it will last for many decades and 
centuries to record the high ser\ice to his countrv and 
to the world of a great man whose wonderfully rounded 
career fmds its easy clue in marked inherited intellectual 
force, in purit_\- of soul and high ideals, in (|uiet tenacity 
of purpose, in p.ntient preparation, and in normal develop- 
ment of environment and ojiportunities improved in this 
country of free institutions. 

Address of Myron T. Herrick 
The dedication of this -splendid Memorial has a 
deeper meaning to us tlian the dedication of a monu- 
ment to tile memory of a great man who .achieved 
great things. For we knew and loved William AFcKinley 
as a friend, and that alTection was reciprocated by him. 
W e shared in his triumphs and in his sorrows. \\ hen 

82 



IMIl". XAIloXAI. Mckl.\I.i:\ iMuriirLAii: MIIMoKIAL 

iioiuiiialctl for ( lovcrimr ..i' ()liiM, his llmiig-lits turiK-d lo 
the liDinc of his chiUlhood. I low well wc rcnicnibcr llu- 
(lay that he opened his campaij^ii for ihat office and 
spoke to his friends ami nei^hlxirs from a platform 
i)eside vontler schoolhouse. That was a da\- of triumph 
for us all. This also is a day of Iriumijh. when we 
lovingh- and ieii(lcrl\- consecrate this beautiful l)uil(lmg 
lo his sacred memory. 

This is more, e\en, than a monument to dur great 
and dear friend; il commemorates also the devotion, the 
inspiration, tlie untiring and generous enthusiasm of the 
friend of McKiidey's youth and his life-long comrade — 
our friend also, Joseph G. Butler, jr., whom we addres.s 
in terms oi affectionate regard as "L'ncle joe." But for 
liis faithful and effective labors we should not be here 
today. To him is due all the credit of this great 
work whose accomplishment we sec. 

Tn the history of the .American peoi)le there have 
been three distinct jieriods, each of which has been 
dominated by the genius of one man. The years of 
the establishment of independence and of early growth 
liad the personality and genius of Washington as the 
dominant feature. Then after an interval in which the 
borders of the country were expanding at the same time 
the states were drawing further and further apart from 
one anotlier came the Civil War and Lincoln, to whose 
courageous and patient leadershi]) is due the abolition of 
slaverv and the establishment once for all of the su- 
premacy of the nation over the separate states. 

After the Civil ^^'ar followed years of reconstruction 
and remarkable material progress. But always this re- 
mained a provincial nation, taking little interest in world 
affairs bevond its borders and exerting small influence 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

on tlic course of world history. A time came when 
that narrow vision and restricted influence were to change 
lor the broader outlook and larger voice in world affairs 
which are the inescapable resi:)onsibilities of powerful na- 
tions. McKinley was the central figure in that period 
of transition, and history will remember him as the 
President in whose administration the United States was 
first recognized as a world power. Before McKinley it 
would have been almost unthinkable that we should send 
troops to fight in Europe; now w^e accept that course 
almost as readily as though it were not wholly without 
precedent in our national career. 

What were the qualities that enabled McKinley to 
guide so capably the succession of great events that 
crowded his short five years in the Presidency? To my 
mind his genius lay chielly in his remarkable ability "to 
imite the discordant forces of government and mould the 
diverse purposes of men toward progressive and salutary 
action." His administration followed close upon years of 
bitter class antagonism and sectional jealousies. He brought 
peace and friendliness where there had been discord: 
abundance where there had been poverty; unitv where 
dissension had been. Under his benign influence the long 
resentment of the South died away and the Mason and 
Dixon's line was Imally erased. His reconciliation of the 
South ended the long era of misunderstanding and dis- 
trust which might have l)een closed earlier had the 
North shown a broader sympathy toward the South and 
aided in its reconstruction as did the English in South 
Africa after the P>oer ^^'ar. INIerely as a business measure 
such federal aid would have saved the South twenty-five 
years of laborious struggle; more than that, it would 
have liealcd the wounds of the Civil War a generation 

84 



Tin-: XATIoXAL MrKTXI.FV P.IRTf TT'I. ACI'. ^rl•.^[( (Rl \I. 

scioiuT. I iiiKr McKiiiley Xortli and South became aj^ain 
one (.Duntry in fact as in name; the workiiif^man and 
the eni|ilii\ (.r hihdred in liarmony for the upl)uihling of 
inchistry: ami the peopK' of tliis country became a more 
harmonious unit than they had been before or have 
been since. Tliat era of democracy is a happy memorv 
to all our i)eo])le. 

In two inlcrnalional crises McKinky ijave splendid 
expression to this nation's altruistic purpose. The un- 
seihsh attitude adopted toward ("uba disarmed a suspicicnis 
world and won for the I'nited Stales the lastinc^ confi- 
dence of -the South American republics. .\ little later 
the magnanimous retiuii of the I'.oxer indemnity to China 
to be used for the education of her young men created 
lor this country a permanent fund of good will in the 
far east. The cumulative effect of those instances of 
international honor and generosity have given this nation 
a unif|ue place and inlluence. 

Since McKinle}'s time we have passed through years 
of internal strife and fierce antagonisms, with class arraved 
against class and jjartisan motives ever to the fore. In 
that condition we entered on a war which is testing to 
the utiuost the strength and stability of the nation and 
the spirit of its people. Against us are a government 
and a people possessed with an insane ambiti(Tn to 
dominate the world by force. The world is challenged 
by a ruler who confesses his hope to follow in the 
footsteps of .Me.xander and Caesar and Xapoleon. But 
those great generals all failed and the empires that they 
sought to establish fell apart; and this attempt, though 
it has already come near to success, will fail also be- 
cause Germany cannot crush out the spirit of free peoples. 
The atmosphere of unity and good will which Mc- 
kinley created is sorely needed in our country today. 

S5 



McKlNLEY MEMORIAL 

There must be a truce to strife hclwccn labor and 
capital, an end to selfishness and a willingness to do 
each lo the limit of his ability for country if our ac- 
coni])lishment in this war is not to fall short of the 
lu)])es that are rested in us. In l'"rance, luigland, Italy, 
men and women have come forward for the country's 
service in a self-forgetting s])iril like that of the Cru- 
saders of old. So must we of the L'nited States put 
aside each his personal convenience and lu-ejudice and 
give the best we have to the great Crusade if we want 
to save for ourselves and our children the precious 
heritage of libertx- that we have received. 



86 



WILLIAM McKINLEY 

Sketch of the Lite oi William McKinlcy, Twcnty-Fiftli 

President oi the United States, Soldier, 

Statesman and Martyr 

BV JOSEPH G. BUILF.R. JR. 

William McKink-\, i went \ -fill li I'lcsidciU «n' ihc L'nitctl 
Stales, was horn in Xilcs, IrnnihuU County. ( )liio, on 
the iwi'iilN -ninlh oi Jannary. iS4_v His anccsliu-s on the 
pau-inal side were Scoicli-I risli who Hved al Dervock. 
Couiilv Antrim, ami spelled the family name ■"McKinhiy." 
ilis great-great-grandfather sellled in \ork County. Pa., 
ahoul 1743 and from Chester Coiinly, his great-grand- 
lather. David MeKinlev. who >er\ed as a private during 
the war of Independence, moved to Ohio in 1S14. David's 
son, lames, had gone in 1809 to Columhiana County, 
Ohio. His son. Williaiu McKinley (horn 1807), like his 
father an iron mamii'aclurer, was married in 1829 to 
Xancy Camphell Allison, ;ind to them were born nine 
children, of whom William, the 1 'resident , was the seventh. 
In 185J the famil\- nio\ed to Poland. Mahoning t'ounty. 
when the younger William w;is i)laced al school. .At 
seventeen he entered the junior tlass of .\llegheny Col- 
lege, at Meadville, Pa.; Inn he studied heyond his 
strength and returned to Poland, where for a lime he 
taught in a neighboring country school. W hen ihe CwU 
War broke out in iSf)!. he iiromi)tly enlisted as a 
private in the 23rd Ohio X'olunteer Infantry. He saw- 
service in West X'irginia. at South Mountain, where this 
regiment lost heavily, and al .\ntielam. where he brought 
hot coffee and provisions to the fighting line: for this 

S" 



McKlNLEY MEMORIAL 

lie was ])romoted second lieutenant on the 24tli of Sep- 
tember, iSf).'. McKinley was promoted first lieutenant in 
l*'el)ruar\-, i<%4, and for his service at Winchester was 
promoted Captain on the J5th of July, 1864. He was 
on the staff of (.eneral (ieorge Crook at the battles of 
Ope(iuan, h'isher's llill, and Cedar Creek in the Shenan- 
doah X'alley, and on the 14th of March, 1865, was 
brevetted Major of volunteers for gallant and meritorious 
service. He also served on the staff of General Ruther- 
ford B. Hayes, who spoke highly of his soldiery qualities. 
Ik- was mustered out with his regiment on the 26th 
of July. i8C)5. Four years of army life had changed 
him from a i);ile and sickly lad into a man of superb 
and manly strength. 

After the war McKinley returned to Poland, and 
bent all his energy on the study of law. He com- 
pleted his preparatory reading at the Albany New York 
Law^ School, and was atlmitted to the bar at Warren, 
Ohio, in .March, 1867. ( )n the advice of an elder 
sister, who had been for several years a teacher in 
Canton, Stark Count}-, Ohio, he began his law practice 
in that jilace, which was to be his permanent home. 
He identified himself, innnediately with the Republican 
part}', cam])aigned in the Democratic County of Stark 
in f.'ivor of negro suffrage in 1867. and took jwrt in 
the campaign work on behalf of Cjrant's Presidential 
candidature in 1868. Tn the following year he was 
elected Prosecuting Attornc}- on the Republican ticket. 
In 1 87 1 he failed for re-election by 45 votes, and .again 
devoted himself to his profession, while not relaxing 
his interest in jiolitics. 

In 1875 he first became known as an able cam- 
paign speaker by his speeches favoring the resumption 

88 




WILLIAM McKlNLEY 

Twcnty-F.f.h Prcdcn. ..f tK<= Un,.cd S.a,«. Born a, N.l„. Ohio. January 29. 1843: 
D.cd at Buffalo. N. Y.. September 14. 1901 



McKlXLEV M]-:M()RIAL 



of siJccic paMiients. ;iiul in hchall" of Rutherford B. 
Haves, tlic Republican candidate for (icnernor of Ohio. 
In iSjC) he was elected 1)_\- a niajorit}' of 3,304 to the 
Xational House of Representatives. Conditions both in 
Uliio and in Congress had i)laced him, and were to 
keep him for JO years in an attitude of aggressive 
and uncompromising partisanshiii. II is Congressional Dis- 
trict was naluralK- Democratic, and its boundaries were 
clianged two or three limes by Democratic legislatures 
for the ])urp(_ise of S(_i grouping Democratic strongholds 
as to cause his defeat, but he overcame what had 
threatened to be adverse majorities on all occasions from 
1S7O to iS<jo. with the single exception of 1882, when, 
although he recei\ed a certilicate of election, showing 
that he had been re-elected by a luajority of 8, and 
although he served nearly through the long session of 
1883-1S84, his seat was contested and taken ]\Iay 28, 
1884, b\ his Democratic opponent, Jonathan IT. Wallace. 
McKinley rellected the strong sentiment of his manu- 
facturing constiluenc\- in behalf of a high protective 
tariff and he soon became known in Congress where he 
l)articularly attracted the attention of James (r. Blaine, 
as one of the most diligent students of industrv, policy 
and (piesiions alTecting national taxation. In 1878 he took 
part in the debates over the A\'ool Tariff liill, pro- 
pijsing lower import dmies; and in the same ^•ear he 
voted for the Bland-. \llison ."^iher Bill. In December, 
1880. he was ai)pointed a member of the W'avs and 
.Means Committee, succeeding (leneral las. A. Carfield, who 
had been elected President on the ])receding moutli and 
to whose frirndshii). as to that of Rutherford B.. na\-es, 
McKinley owrd nmch in his earlier vcars in Congress. 
He was ()rominenl in the debate which resulted in the 

90 



'1II1-; XATioXAi. MrKixr.i'.v i;iRTni'i..\( !•: .\ii:m< )Ui.\i. 

(lci'c;il t)i the iJcniDcraiic Alurri^oii 'l";irilV Hill iti i<S84, 
aiul, as a iiiiiKniiy leader ol the Ways aii<l Means 
Cuiiunitlee in the defeat of .Mills Hill for the revision 
of the taril'f in 1S87 to iSSS. In USIS9 lie became 
chairman of the \\'a\s and Means Committee ami Re- 
piihlican leader in the House of Representatives, after 
havinj^' heen defeated hy 'Ihomas 1'.. Reed on the third 
hallot in the Repnhlican cancus for Speaker of the 
Mouse. On the KUh of Ai)ril, 1890, he introduced from 
the W a\s and Means Committee the TarilT Measure 
known connnonly as the McKinley I'.ill, which ])assed 
the House on the _'ist of Ma\, passed the Senate on 
the loth of Septend)er, as amended I)y the House, and 
was approved h\ the President on the first of October, 
iXgo. The McKinle\- Bill reduced revenues by its hijjh 
and in many cases almost prohibitive duties; it i)ut 
su,<;"ar on the free list with a discriminating;- <lut\' i-io 
of i>ne cent a ])Ound on sutjar imported from countries 
jj^ivinji^ a bounty for sugar exported, and it gave bounties 
to American sugar growers; it attempted to protect 
many infant industries such as tiie manufacture of tin 
plate: under its provision for reci]>rocal trade agreements. 
.\broad where the bill made McKinley's name known 
everywhere there was bitter opposition to it and re- 
prisals were threatened by several European states. Tn 
the Cniled States the McKinley Tariff P.ill was one of 
the main causes of the Democratic victor\ in the Con- 
gressional elections in i8(X), in which McKinlev himself 
was defeated by an extraordinary Democratic gerrv- 
mander of his Congressional District. Tn Xovcmbcr. 
i8()i. he was elected Governor of Ohio with a plurality 
of more than Ji.ooo votes in a total of 7<)5.cxxi votes 
cast. He wa« (irnrnmr of Ohio in iSi;j-(^5 being re- 

91 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

elected in 1893. His administration was marked by no 
important events except that he had on several occasions 
in his second term lo call out the militia of the state 
to preserve order. I'.ut it ma}- be considered important 
because of the training it gave him in executive as 
distinguished from legislati\e work. 

McKinle\- had l)een pmminent in National jiolitics 
even before the passage of the tariff measure bearing 
his name. In 1888 in the National Republican Conven- 
tion in I'hicago he was chairman of the Committee on 
Resolutions and was leader of the delegation from Ohio, 
which had been instrucied for John Sherman. After 
James CJ. r.laine withdrew his name there was a move- 
ment, begun by Republican Congressmen, to nominate 
McKinley. who received 16 votes on the seventh ballot, 
but passionately refused to be a candidate, considering that 
his acquiescence would be a breach of faith toward 
Sherman. In 1892 McKinley was the permanent Presi- 
dent of the National ReimbHcan Convention which met 
in Minneapolis and which renominated Benjamin Harrison 
on the first ballot. <in which James G. Blaine received 
182 voles and McKiidcy in spite of his efforts to the 
contrary, received 182 votes. In 1894 he made an 
extended campaign tour before Congressional elections, and 
spoke even in the South. In 181 )6 he seemed for many 
reasons the most awiilablc candidate of his i)art\- for 
the Presidency. he had no personal enemies in the 
]):irty; hf had carried the crucial state of Ohin b\' a 
large majority in 18(^3: his attitude on the coinage 
question had never been so pronounced as to make him 
uni)opuIar either with the Radical Sihcr A^^ing or with 
the Conservative "Cold Standard" members of the party. 
The campaign for his nomination was conducted with 

92 




Bronie Bust of J,.Kn lUy. Secretary of State in President McKmlcy's Cabinet 



McKlXLEV MK-MOklAL 



I he i^TL-alcsl adroitness by his friend, Marcus A. Ilanna, 
and in llie Xalional Rc])ul:)lican Convention lield in St. 
l.ouis in lune. he was nominated for the Presidency on 
the hrsl haUot l)y 66i^> out of a total of 906 votes. 
The convention adojjted a tariff jdank drafted h\- Mc- 
Kink'v. and o\ far greater immediate importance, a plank 
whicli declared that tlie Republican ])arty was "opposed 
10 the free coinage of silver except liy internatinnal 
agreement with the leading Commercial Nations of the 
world, which we pledge ourselves to proiuote, and until 
such agreement can he oljtained the existing Cold Standard 
nnisl he ])reserved." This "('lold Standard" plank drove 
(lut of the l\ei)ul)lican ])arty the Silver Republicans of 
iiie West, headed by Senator ^\. Teller, of I'olorado. 
While his op])onent tra\'eled thrdughout the country 
m.aking s])eeches McKinle\- remained in Canton. where 
lie was visited by and addressed many Re]niblican dele- 
gations. The cam])aign was enthusiastic. The Repitb- 
lican candidate was called the "Advance Agent of 
I'rosperit)-," "i'.ill Mckinley and the McKinley Rill" be- 
came a campaign cr\'. The panic of ii*^<)3 was charged 
lo the re])eal of tlie McKinley Tariff measure, and 
"l)usiness men" throughout the states were enlistetl in 
the catise of "sound m()ne\" to sui)])ort McKinley who 
was elected in Xovenil)er b\- a i)o])ular vote of 7,io().77<) 



to 6.30J,(>25 lor r.ryan and 
jXj I to 1 76. 

McKinle\- was inaugurated 
States f)n the 4th of March, 
his cabinet were: Secret ar\- 
who was succeeded in Ajjril, 
who in turn was followed in 



an elector.al vote 



)f 



ay : .Secretary of llie Treasur 

94 



President of 
1897. 
of Stat 

t8(),S, l)y William 
Septeml)er, iS()S, 
K\nian T- 



tlie Cnited 

le members of 

John Sherman 

R. Dav, 

by John 

C.atrc, a 



riii-: XA'iMoxAi. McKixi.i'V niRTiin.Aci-: mi-:.\|()Riai. 

i;.il(l I )ciiii>ir;ii : Scciclary of War, 1\u,ssl-II A. Alj^i-r; 
Si-crclaiy ni tin- .\a\y, jdliii 1). l.uii;; ; Atloriu-y ( iciicral. 
josc])!) .McKiiina ; rii>tniasUT (iciicral, jamc-s A. (ira\-; 
Sccrc-lary ol' llic liUi.Ti<ir. I'oriK-Iius X. I'.liss; Sccrclarv 
of A^ricullurL', |anu-> Wilson. I iiimrdiatcly after his 

inauj^uralion tlic J 'rc^idfiil suinnionrd ( dii.t;i"css in an 
extra session on tlie I3tli of March. The |)eniocratic 
TarilT in 1S93 had hecn enacted as part of the <jeneral 
revenne nieasnre, whieli inclnded an income tax. 'I'he 
income tax liavini^ heen tlechired nnconstitntii>nal li\ ilie 
Supreme Court, the measure had failed to produce sufli- 
cient revenue, ami it had l)een necessary to increase the 
puhlic dehl. .Mckinley's messag-e to the new Cont^ress 
dwelt upon the necessity of an immediate revision of 
the tariff and revenue system of the countrv and the 
so-called Din,q-ley 'r.iriff Hill was accordin.i^Iy jjassed through 
hoth Mouses, and was ajiproxed hy the ['resident on the 
24t!i of July. 

The regular session which oi)cned in 1 )ecend)er was 
occupied chieM\- with the situation in Cuha. President 
McKinley showed himself singularly ])alient and self-con- 
trolled in the midst of ihe i)o]ndar excitement against 
S])ain and in the clamor for intervention hy the I'nitcd 
States in hehalf of the C'uhans; hut rmall\-, on the 
23rd of March. lu- jMesented an ultimatum to the 
Spanish ( iovernment. and on the J5lh of \\)r\] on his 
recommendation. Congiess declared war on Spain. During 
the war it^dl he de\oted himself with great energv to 
the mastery of military iletails; hnt there was bitter 
criticism of the War Department residting in the resiff- 
natinn of the Secretary of War. Russell .\. .\lger. The 
signing of a peace j^rotocol on \h^_^ uth of August was 
followed hy the signature on the loth of Deccmher of 

95 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

articles of peace between the United States and Spain. 
After a long discussion the peace treaty was ratified by 
the United States Senate on the 0th of February, 1899; 
and in accordance with its terms Porto Rico, the 
Philipi)ine Archipelago, and Guam were transferred by 
Si)ain to tlic United States and Cuba came under 
American jurisdiction pending the establishment there of 
an independent government. Two days before the ratifi- 
cation of tlie peace treaty, a conliict took place between 
armed Philippines under the leadership of Emilio Aguin- 
aldo and the American forces that \vere in possession 
of Manila. The six months that had elapsed between 
the signing of the peace protocol and the ratification 
of the treaty had constituted a virtual interregnum, 
Spain's authority having been ])raclically destroyed in the 
Philippines and that of the United States not having 
begun. In this period a formidable native Philippino army 
had been organized and a provisi(inal government created. 
The warfare waged l)y these Philippinos against the 
United States, while having for the most part a desul- 
tory and guerilla character, was of a very protracted and 
troublesome nature. Souvereignly over the Philippinos 
having jjeen accepted by virtue of the ratification of the 
Paris treaty. President McKinley was not at liberty to 
do otherwise than assert the authority of the United 
States and use ever\- endeavor to suppress the insurrec- 
tion. I'.ut there was bitter ])r()test against this "Imperial- 
ism," both within the party by such men as Senator 
(ieorge F. Hoar, and Eugene Flale, and Thomas B. 
Reed, and ("arl Schurz, and often fi)r i)urely jiolitical 
reasons from the leaders of the Democratic party. Tn 
the foreign relations of the United States as directed by 
President McKinley, the most significant change was the 

96 



'T 




Bronic B- 



,,t of Tkc.Jorc Roo,evelt. TwcnlyS.xtK Prcs.dcn. of tfic Un.tcJ Slate 



McKINLEY jNIE^IORIAL 



cordial understanding willi the British government, to 
which much was conirihuled h\- liis Secretar\- of Slate, 
|ohn Hay. appointed to that portfolio when he was 
Ambassador to the Court of St. James and which was 
due to some extent to the friendliness of the Hritish 
press and even more markedl}' of the llritish navy in 
the I'acitic during the Sjjanish war. Other important 
foreign events during McKinIe}'s administration were: 
tlie anne.xation of the Hawaiian Islands in August, i8yS 
and the formation of the territory of Hawaii in April, 
i()0(): the cessation in iX()() of the tri])artite government 
(.f the Samoan Islands and the annexation l)y the United 
States of the islands including Pago-Pago. In 1900 Mc- 
Kinley was unanimously renominated by the National 
Republican Convention while Theodore Roosevelt, Governor 
of Xew \'ork, was nominated for the \'ice Presidency. 
The Republican Conxention demanded the maintenance of 
a gold standard, and pointed to the fulfillment of some 
of the most important of the ])ledges given l)y the 
Republican ])art\- four \i'ars earlier. The intervening 
j)eriod had been one of ihe verv e\cei)tional prosperit}" 
ni the I'nited States, foreign conmierce ha\ing reached 
;tn unjjrecedented volume, and agriculture and manufac- 
tures having made greater advancement than in an}- 
previous period of the country's history. The tendency 
toward the concentration of ca|)ital in great industrial 
cor])orations had been active to an extent ])reviously un- 
dreamed of, with incidental consetpiences that had aroused 
nuich a])prehension : and the Democrats accused President 
McKinley and ihc Republicans of haxing fosti'red the 
"''■ti^l'^-' I'til the campaign .againsl Mcl\inle\ and the 
.Republican ]);iny was not only '•anti trust" but "anti- 
iiiii)erialistic." William Jennings I'.rxan, renominated by 

98 



TllK XA'IK ).\.\l. McKINI.I'.N' lU K'll I IM ..\( l-. M IvMoR l.\ I, 

llu' I )(.intn.r;itii' |)arly in July on a trt-L- silver |>lali<)rm, 
declared thai inipcrialisiii was tlu- ■'paramniinl issue" and 
made a second vigorous canii)ai,t;ii ; and llie ii])|)()sili()n to 
Mckinley's re-elecliuii. whellier based un <i])i»iisiticin to 
his economics or his liMei>^n policy, was mn entirely 
outside of his own part\. As the result of tiie pollinf^ 
in Xovend)er J(jj Renulilican Presidential i'.Iectnrs were 
chosen, and 155 Democratic I'lectors, elected in Colorado, 
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and the Southern States repre- 
sentetl the final strength of the llryan and Stephenson 
ticket. The i\epul)lican popular vote was 7,207,923 and 
the Democratic ''..^.v'^. ' .\v Since i^~- no President had 
been re-elected lor a second consecutive term. 

In the term of Congress, immediately following the 
Presidential election it was found ])ossil)le to reduce 
materially the war ta.xes w liicli had been levied on the 
outbreak of the Spanish-. \merican War. .Arrangements 
were perfected for the termin.ation of the American mili- 
tary occupation of Cuba and the inauguration of a 
Cuban l\i'i)ublic as a \irtual i)rotectorate of the Cnited 
States, the American ( lovernment having arr.anged with 
the Cul)an Constitutional for the retention of certain 
naval stations on the Cuban Cdast. In the Philippines 
advanced steps had been taken in the substitution of 
L'ivil (iovernnient t'or nn'litar\- occupation, and the Ciov- 
ernor (ieneral. Judge William 11. T.ift, had been ap- 
pointed and sent to Manila. Prosperit\' at home was 
great, and foreign relations were free from complications. 
The problems which had dexolved upon McKiide\"s .\(1- 
ministration having been advanced toward tinal settlement, 
he retained without changing the cai)inet of his t'lrst 
Administration. .\fter an .arduous .'ind .•inxious term, the 
President had reached ;i period th.it proniise<l to give 

9S) 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

him comi)ar:iti\-(.' repose and freedom from care. lie liad 
secured. tliroui,di the co-operation of Congress, the perma- 
nent reorganization of the army and a very considera1)le 
development of the navy. In these circumstances Presi- 
dent McKinlcv accompanied b}' the greater part of his 
cabinet set forth in the early summer on a tour to 
visit the Pacific Coast, where he was to witness the 
launching of the battleship "Ohio" at San Francisco. 
The route chosen was through the Southern states, 
where man\- stops were made, and where the President 
delivered brief addresses. The heartiness of the welcome 
accorded him, seemed to mark the disappearance of the 
last vestige of sectional feeling that had survived the 
Civil War in which ^IcKinley had participated as a 
} oung man. After his return he spent a month in a 
visit at his old home at Canton, Ohio, and at the end 
of this visit bv previous arrangement he visited the 
city of lUiffalo. X. ^■., in order to attend the Pan 
American l-lxposition and deliver a public address. This 
address, Sei)leml)er 5. 1901, was a public utterance xle- 
signed b_\- .Mckinley to affect .Vmerican o])inion and 
public policy and ap])arentlv to show thai he had modi- 
fied his views on the tariff. It declared that henceforth 
the progress of the Nations must be through harmony 
and co-operation, in view of the fast changing conditions 
of comnnmic.'ition and trade, and it maintained that the 
Inne had come for wide reaching modificatious in the 
Tariff polic_\- of the Ignited States, the method preferred 
by McKinley being that if commercial reciprocitv arrange- 
ments with v.arious Nations could be had, it should be 
made a law. On the following day. the 6th of Septem- 
ber, igoi. a great reception was held for President Mc- 
Kinley in one of the buildings of the exj)ositiou. all 

1(X) 



TllK XA ri(>.\ Al. MrKIXI.I'A' I'.! U 11 I IM . \(|-. M I'.Mi )U I A I. 

sorts ;iii«l oiidiiions ul iiiiii luiiii; wilcoinc. Ailvanlat^c 
of this upi-wri unity was taken l«y a young man of 
i'olish parcnla.L^i-, l>y name of Leon Czolgosz, to shoot 
at the rresidenl with a revolver at clnse range. (Jne 
of tlie two liullets lired penetrated the ahdonien. Alter 
the worUl iiad l)cen assured that the patient wa^ doing 
well and would recover, he collapsed and died on the 
14th. The assassin, who, it was for a lime supi)Osed, 
had lieen intlamed l)y the editorials and cartoons of the 
Democratic opposition press, hut wlio professed to hold 
the views of that hranch of anarchists who believe in 
the assassination of rulers ;ind persons exercising ])oliticaI 
authoritv, w^as pronii)tly sei/.ed and was convicted and 
executed in October, 1901. McKinley"s conduct and utter- 
ances in his last days revealed a loftiness of personal 
character that everywhere elicited admiration and praise. 
Immediately after his death \ ice President Roosevelt took 
the oath of office, announcing that it would be his 
purpose to continue McKinley's policx, wliile also retain- 
ing the cabinet and principal oUicers of the government. 
McKinley's funeral took place at Canton, Ohio, on the 
19th of Se])tenil)er. the occasion being remarkable for 
the public manifestations of mourning not only in the 
L'nited States, but also in (Ircat Britain and other coun- 
tries. In ('anton a nieiiiorial tomb has been erected. 
Though he had not the personal magnetism of James 
(i. r.laine, wliom he succeeded as leader of the Re- 
publican party .and whose views of reci])rocity he tor- 
mally adopted in his last public speech. McKinley had 
great personal -uavit\ and dignit\- and was thoroughly 
well liked by his party colleagues. As ;i ])olitician he 
was always more the people's representative than their 
leader, and that 'he kept his ear to the ground." was 

101 



.AIcKINLEY ME^IORIAL 

tlic source ol' much ol' his jjowlt and at the same 
lime was his greatest weakness. J lis address at JUiftalo, 
the dav l)efore liis assassination, seems to voice his 
appreciation of the change in popuhir sentiment regard- 
ing tlie tariff hiws of the L'nited States and is the 
more remarkahle as coming from the foremost chanipinn 
for years of a form of tariff legishition devised to 
stifle international competition. His api)arently inconsistent 
record on the coinage (piesiion ])ecomes consistent if 
considered in the same way, as the expressing of his 
gradually changing views of his constitucnc}'. And it 
may not he fanciful to suggest that the ohvious growth 
of Mckinley in power and growth during his term as 
President was due to his heing the representative of a 
larger constituenc}-, less local and narrow minded. He 
was an ahle hut far from hrilliant campaign speaker. 
His greatest administrative gift was a fine intuition in 
choosing men to serve him. A[cKinle}'s private life was 
irre])roachal)le: and very fine was his devotion to his 
wife. Ida Saxton (died in KjOj) whom he married in 
Canton in 1S71. who was. throughout his political career. 
a confirmed invalid. He was from his early manhood a 
prominent mendier of the Methodist Episcopal Churcli. 



102 



Souvenir McKinley Gold Coin 

Act oi Congress for llic coinage of a Mckinley 
souvenir gi'M dollar, in conmienioration of the erection 
of a memorial to William McKinley, late i 'resident of 
the L'niled States: 

I'.e it enacted 1>\ llie Senate and llnuse nf Rejjre- 
sentatives of the L'niled Slates of America in Congress 
assembled. Thai for the jjurpose of aiding in defraying 
the cost of completing in a suilahle manner tlie work 
of erecting a memorial in the city ol Xiles. Ohio, to 
\\'illiam McKinley, late President of the I'nited States 
of America, ilie Secretary of the Treasury shall be. and 
he is hereby, authorized to purchase in the market so 
much gold bullion as may be necessary for the purpose 
herein provided for from which there shall be coined at 
the L'niled States Mini, riiiladelphia. standard gold dol- 
lars of the legal weight and tineness. to the number of 
not exceeding one hundred thousand pieces, to be known 
as the McKinle\- souvenir dollar, struck in commemora- 
tion of the erection of a memorial to William McKinley. 
late {'resident of the L'niled Slates oi America, in the 
L"ii\ i>f Xiles, Ohio, his birihplace. ihe devices and de- 
signs u])on which coins shall be prescribed by the 
Secretary of the Treasur\-; and all provisions of law 
relative to the coinage and leg.il-lender (|uality of the 
standard gold dollar shall be .ipplicible In ihe coins 
issued under this Act. and when so coined said souvenir 
dollars shall be delivered, in suitable parcels, at par, and 

103 



McKTXLlCV MI-:M()RI.\L 

without cost to the United Stales, lo the National Mc- 

Kink'N- r.irlhi)lace Memorial Association and the dies shall 

be destroxcd. 

CHAMP CLARK, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

THOS. R. MARSHALL, 
\'ice President of the I'nitcd States and 

President of the Senate. 
.\pproved 23 hel^ruary, I(ji6. 
WOODROW AVTLSOX. 



104 



An Address by William McKinley 

Tlic loUuwing address was delivered by \\ dliam Mc- 
Rinlev al the dedicatinii of tlie Young Men's Cliristian 
Associaiioii lUiildini; in \ oungstown. Ohio, on Septend)er 
0, i8yJ. It is included here as indicating the deep 
Christian spirit of the ni.m as well as his abiding 
atTection for the localilx in which he was born and 
in which he spent the \ ears of his young niaidiood. 
It is a simple apjieal to the better things in human 
nature, elocpient from its very simplicity, and radiating 
rhe spirit which was the outstanding feature ol Mc- 
Kinley's life and character. 

Mr. President, Ladies and (.entlemen: — 

I am verv glad to join with the citizens of N'oungs- 
town in celebrating the completion of this beautiful build- 
ing, dedicated to the young men for physical, moral and 
religious training. 1 congratulate the young men ui)on 
their good fortune, and unite with them in gratitude to 
the generous, public-spirited people through whose efforts 
this Chri-itian Imme has been established. It will stand 
a luonumenl to your city and an honor to those who 
have shared in its erection. It will be an auxiliary to 
all moral and religious effort. It will be the \e<^libulc 
to the church, and the gateway to a higher and better 
Christian life. Tt will not take the place of the church 
;ind other .agencies for goorl. but it will sni>|)lement and 
strengthen them all. 

Tt is a good omen for our civilization and country 
when these .\ssociation'; can be successfully planted as 
a part of the system of permanent education for the 
improvement and elevation of the masses; it is another 

in.- 



McKlXl.EY MEMORIAL 

slc'i) upward and unward to a higher and grander 
civilizaiKtn. Il is another recognition of the !\Ia.ster wlio 
rules over all, a worthy tribute to Him who came on 
earth to save fallen man and lead him to a higher 
plane. It is an expression of \()nr faith in an over- 
ruling Trovidence, and strengthens the faith of every 
believer. ^'ou have been made l)elter by the gifts you 
have bestowed upon this now completed undertaking; you 
liave the ajjproval of not only _\our own consciences, but 
you have the gratitude of the present generation, and 
you will ha\e, in all time to come, the blessings of 
tiiose who are to be the future beneficiaries of this 
institution. Respect for true religion and righteous living 
is on the increase. Men no longer feel constrained to 
conceal their faith to avoid derision. The religious be- 
liever commands and receixes the highest consideration 
at the hands of his neighbors and countrymen, however 
much they ma>- disagree with him; and when his life 
is made to conform with his religious professions, his 
influence is almost wilhoul limitation. wi(les])read and 
far-reaching. 

Xo man gets on so well in this world as he 
whose <lail\- walk and conversation are clean and con- 
sistent, whose heart is pure and whose life is honorable. 
A religious spirit helps every man. It is at once a 
romfort and an inspiration, and makes him stronger. 
wiser :in<l belter in every relation of life. There is no 
substitute for it. It may be assailed by its enemies, as 
it has been, but they offer nothing in its ])lace. It has 
stood the test of centuries and has never failed to help 
and bless mankind. It is stronger today than at any 
I)revious pc-rio.l ,,\ iis hist<.ry. and every event like this 
you celebrate increases its permanency and power. The 

106 




Bronze Tahlct „( Frank H. Mason m M. 



McKIXLEV MEMORIAL 

world lia> use fur the young man who is well grounded 
in i)rincii)le, who has reverence l<jr truth and religion 
and courageously follows their teachings. Eniplo^nient 
awaits his coming and honor crowns iiis path. More 
than all this, conscious of rectitude, he meets the cares 
of life with courage; the duties which confront him he 
discharges with manly honesty. These Associations elevate 
and purify our citizenshi]), and esta])lish more hrndy the 
foundations of our free institutions. 'The men who estab- 
lished this (iovernment had faith in (iod and sublimely 
trusted in llim. They besought his counsel and advice 
in every step of their progress. 

And so it has been ever since; American history 
abounds in instances of this trait of piety; this sincere 
reliance on a Higher I'ower in all great trials in our 
Xational affairs. ( )ur rulers may not always be ob- 
servers of the outward forms of religion, but we have 
never had a President, from Washington to Harrison, 
who publicly avowed infidelity, or scoffed at the faith of 
the masses of our ])eople. 

May this institution meet the fullest expectations of 
Its founders and i)roiectors, and i)ro\e a mighty force 
in the well being of the conmumity! Interested as I 
am in ever_\ de])artment of work in our State, I cannot 
avoid si)ecial and peculiar interest in anything wdiich 
benefits the .Mahoning \alley, tlie place where 1 was 
born, :ind where 1 si)ent my younger manliood. and 
around which cling tender and affectionate memories tiial 
ran never be effaced. 1 am glad to share this day 
with }-ou, to participate in these exercises wliich open 
tile doors of this building to the xoung men of this 
valley consecrated to honorable uses, .-nid for their last- 

108 



McKlXl.l'.V MI'.MORIAJ. 

iny^ yood. I wish you prnsjjcrit y in ymir \\"<irksh()[)s, 
love in your homes and hid you God-spccd in this 
laudable work. 

The "Old White ScKool House" 
In ihis building William .McKinlc}- attended school 
as a hoy. Those who were his fellow pupils and play- 
mates recall him as a bright, conscientious lad, well 
liked among both teachers and students. To them he 
gave no hint of the characteristics which were later to 
elevate him to the liighest |)innacle of lionor ])Ossible 
for any man in the world — the Presidency of the United 
States of .\merica. 

August JJ, 1009, a reunion of the surviving pupils 
of the school, known as the "Old White School House," 
was held at Xiles, and the following persons are 
recorded as having been in attendance, coming from 
several different states. .\t this reunion the youngest 
pupil present gave her age as forty-seven, while the 
oldest was then seventy-nine: 

MARIA KVI.K 79 KAT1II':R1NE M. WARD 65 

J.XCOH I-:. SHKLAR 75 PHII.A KINGSLEY BIERY 66 

J.XMKS DRAA 72 ALICE BENNINGTON JONES... 59 

M.XRTIIA KlNGSI.i:V LE.SI.U.:. . 74 ANN BENTON 66 

I.KMria. DRAY 72 -^I^'^^- M- G. DR.VKE FERGUSON 45 

M.\RTII.\ WIL.SOX dray' ''^! 72 •■• *'■ H-^l'^'^I-'^ 47 



da.\ii:l se.xgr.w e 72 



J. C. TIEFEI 50 



•M. I. I.EWIS DRAKE. 67 ^ ''■ "-^^^'^I-^ 49 

.MRS. L.M'RA WlllTl-: 59 

MRS. FLORA I'.Rlfl". 54 

MRS. LID.\ I'ARKi;!-; TI l',lll-.|-rs 53 



I'Knl-. I. (;. I'.iKT 32 

c. McEi.i\i-:i-: siii;l.\k ds 

MARi.\ E. ME.vn.x 68 i'." "v iVunter:':::'..': ..■.'.'.■;■.'::.'.: 69 

J. (.. lU II.I-.R IR <58 MRS. LOLlS.\ W 1 1 1 TEI loLSE. . 69 

NAXt^ SI. jOILV 68 .MRS. lAW SI11:L\R ASM .M.W. . 47 



110 



Some Early History 



In hM'i llu- Aiiuricaii Iron ,iii(l Slcc-I In.stiliiU- (k-cidcd 
to conslilutr ;i lU'W (li>iricl, lallin^ it llu- N'uuiif^stowii 
District, ami iiulutliiii; in ii-- trnitdrv llu- .Mahoiiiiij^; and 
Slu'nani;!! \ alk-\ s, wilii sonic <ii' llic rcL^inn adjacent 
ilicicid. I'liis action was taken in deference to the fact 
thai inoduclioii of iron and steel in this territory had 
thrown with such rapidiix as to exceed in tonnage that 
oi am other siii,t;le (li•^l1"ict in llie couniry, excepting 
only lliat includinj;' I'itlshuru;- and Allei^lieiiy County. Pa. 

AccoriHng to statistics furnisiied l)\' the American 
Troll ami .^teel Instilule, production of pig iron in the 
^'oull^■sto\\ 11 district durim; iiM'i was 6,923,93s tons. 
i)urin^' the s;mie _\ ear the ])ro(hutioii of steel ingots 
and ca^ting^ was 7,iSj,()Si lon^. Rolled products were 
produced in !i)i() to the amount of 3.765,389 tons. 

These figures lend .iddid interest to those given in 
the following ]);iges. .iiid a comparison shows the enor- 
mous growth of the iron and steel industries in the 
Alahoning and Sheiiaiigo \'alle\s. a growth due to a 
considerahle extent to the wise fostering of these indus- 
tries un<ler the ])olicy of William McKinlev. 

Ill the ])resenl \\<irld eniergenc\- this tremendous 
growth acquires new signihcance, since the endurance of 
lihcrty among nations has hecome dependent on American 
production of iron and steel, the very sinews of modern war. 



Ill 



'orevv 



or a 



The Mahniiin- \ alley liavini;- l)econK- oiu- of ihc 
leading and nu)Sl imporlani ^eotinns of the inui and 
stcd prodncing industries in the Iniled States, a review 
of its earlv history sliould he a matter of pnhlie inler- 
^-sl. A i.ict to he noted at the present time is that 
only one of the raw materials used in the manufacture 
of pig iron is found in the valley, the iron ore and 
the fuel coming from distant parts. 

The original furnaces all dei)ended on native ores, 
lean in iron contents, and charcoal as a fuel, hut later 
it was I'ound the Mock coal, known as l!rier Hill, 
could he successfully used in its raw state as a suh- 
stitute for charcoal and this may he considered as the 
prime factor in hxing the future of the Mahoning 
Valley. Soon after the completion of the Cleveland and 
Mahoning X'alley Railroad, the tirst iron ore from North- 
ern Michigan hegan to he used as a mixture wuh 
native ore. new furnaces were erected and the surplus 
of pig iron found a ready market at I'ittshurg and 
Wheeling. It is not proposed to detail the activities in 
this line of the latter days, further than to say that 
the husiness was one of great hazard, and not one 
furnace nor one rolling mill huill ])rior to i860 hut, 
that in some period in its history, hrought great fnian- 
cial loss to the owners, sometimes more than once, and 
the same can also he said "f many luiilt ;it a later 
period. 

The accounts of the erection of the first furnace 
varv as to huilders, and as to time, hut. as will he 
stated later, to James and Dan lleaton helongs the 

11.^ 



McKIXLEY IMEMORTAL 

lienor, aiul to ihc former, llial of I)eing the first man 
to nianufaclure bar iron in liie Stale of Ohio. 

In rccoo-iiition of this much deserved honor, throui^h 
tlie tx)urtesy of -Mr. j. ( i. I'.iuler, jr.. President of the 
-McKinley Memorial Association, a portrait of James 
Ilcaton has Ijeen placed in the Memorial lUiilding erected 
at Xiles. under the auspices of this Association, and a 
bronze tablet ])t.aring this inscri]ition : — 

1770 jAMKS IIEATOX 1856 

FOUXDliR ()!• THE CITV OF XILES, 
AXD AT TI1.\T PLACE HE BUILT THE 
FIRST I-ORCE 1-OR MAXUFACTURIXG BAR 
IROX IX 'idih: STATE OF OHIO. 

HE WAS A PUBLIC BEXEFACTOR, IN 
THAT HE I'STAIJLISHEI) ALL THE IX- 
UUSTRII-:S XlCCIvSSARV TO THE WAXTS 
OF THE PIOXEER SETTLERS. 

Jn addition to tlie writer's recollections, extending 
back over a jjcriod of over seventy years, reference is 
given to "1 1 istorical Recollections of the Mahoning \'al- 
Ie_\-," \'ol. 1; History of the Manufacture of Iron in 
all Ages, by James M. Swank, 1892 ; and tlie United 
Slates Post Ofliee l)ei)arlment. 

AMl'.ROSh: M. ROP.BINS. 
(."leveland, ()hio 
Se|)lendier 10, 1917 



114 



Beginnings of a Great Industry 

By Ambrose M. RolibinB 

In the vcar iSoj. Janice aii.l Dan Ikalmi, bnithcrs 
aged rcspcctivcl.N, lliirly-l\v<> and lliiriy years, came to 
Ohio, and in ilie lollouing year erected a hla.sl lurnace 
in Poland low nship. on \ello\v Creek near where is 
now locaUnl the l^wu of Slruthers, and which was the 
first lurnace in the Malioning N'alley, and also in the 
great state of Ohio, whicii mnv stands in second phice 
in iron and sleel making in liie United States. 

These men had a strain of Welsh blood in their 
veins, anil were cousins of General Daniel Morgan, the 
friend anil ally of (ieneral Washington, who had with 
his regiment of X'irginians rendered valiant services dur- 
ing the American Revoluiioii, hul there is not history 
or tradiiioii as lo their xocalioii prior to their coming 
to Ohio ami engaging in this business, of which i)rc- 
suniably they had some knowledge and capital to iiromotc. 
It was a courageous undertaking when the country was 
so new and sparsely settled by men mosll\- of small 
means, who had come to hew their fortunes out of a 
wilderness. 

This first furnace was a ])rimitive affair, and the 
present generation may be interested in the details of 
its construction. It was square in shai)e. three sides of 
which were built of native stones, and the fourth was 
a rock bluff from the summit of which, access was had 
to the top of the furnace for filling the ore and char- 
coal. The blast was inoduoed by dropping a stream of 
water into a perjiendicular hollow l)ox tulie. dragging 
the air with it into a cistern at the bottom, where 

115 



McKIXLKY MEMORIAL 

tlu-.sc lu.. ck'iucms scparalcd. the waler escaping by a 
tail race and the air was led tln-ongii a pipe to blow 
the furnace. 

The princijjle was correct and is technically known 
as "Parley's l-'ountain," and being given a sufiicient 
vohmie of water, height of fall, antl with proper con- 
struction, alTords a very efficient and economical method 
of compressing air. Lacking these essentials, this furnace 
was a breeder of troubles in its bad operation, and the 
brothers parted company, James moving to Weathersfield 
township to engage in enterprises on his own accotmt. 
I^an remained, and in 1806, rebuilt the furnace, and 
no doubt in the hope of securing the favor of Dame 
Fortune, he christened it "Hopewell Furnace," and for 
many years there were in that section many evidences 
of at least some measure of success in the matter of 
stoves bearing that brand with his name prefixed, and 
he was also able to supjily the early settlers with 
hollow ware for domestic use. 

In 1S06, Robert Montgomery and John Struthers 
built a furnace in the same locality which was operated 
until ]8iJ. Some time ])rior to this. Montgomery.' ]:)rob- 
ably with a view of creating an embryo trust, bought 
Ileaton's furnace agreeing to pay One 'I'housand dollars 
in cash, but there was some hitch in the proceedings, 
litigation followed, and lleaton rccoverc'd ilic "Hopewell." 
but a more ])owerful factor than tlu- Sherman law en- 
praged the attention of these pioneers, and ])ut them out 
of business. All of the men employed at these furnaces 
were called by draft into military service in the War 
of iSij. ;ind they were closed down forever. It is 
interesting to ,i,,te that the county records evidence a 
contract dated June 24. 1807. whereby Lodwick Ripple 

116 



!•: N 



AlloNAI. .\KK1.\LI:N- r.lKrill'I.ACH MI-.MoKlAI. 



suUl I.. Dan lUaluii ihc iii;lit U> niiiif all uf the ore 
on Ki]. pic's tract at the rate- of twelve and onc-luill' 
c-cnls \K-v Inn, and llcaton was to have all oi the 
wood. Ripple nii-lii eut hcyond his own wants, and 
llealon was to >uppl\ Kipple uuh all eastings necessary 
lor his own nse, Ueaton adding a saving clause provided 
the furnace worked well. 

It was earlv in these operations that the (juestion 
oi having the .Mahoning River declared a navigable 
stream was tliscussed. Wherever a water power was 
obtainable, it was desirable to build dams for operating 
saw mills and grist mills, but in the absence of roads 
in this section, the river was to some extent needed 
for travel and traffic. The question was settled in 1806, 
and the river declared navigable to the extent that all 
dams had to be provided with a by-pass or chute so 
that boats of small size couUl he operated on the river, 
and in this wa\- the pioneer furnace men took iron 
to market. 

As before staled, lames lleaton ])arted company with 
his brother Dan in 1S04, and went to Weathersfield 
towmship. although he bought and lived for a year on 
a tract in Howland in a log house, the only residence 
available near the scene of his future operations. lie 
foresaw the value of an undeveloped water power on 
Mosquito Creek, and accjuired lands on both sides of 
this Creek from its continence with the Mahoning river 
northward far enough to protect himself from overflow- 
damages, and built for himself and family a house on 
the point of land near the cast end of the Mos(|uito 
Creek bridge where the north and east roads converge. 

Aside from a few log cabins this was the first 
house buih in Xiles, and may be accounted the 

117 



McKIXLEY MEMORIAL 

foiiiulin.u" of the town, althuugli as will be related 
larllier on, tiie present name did not apply at that 
time. His lirst work was to Ijuild a dam across the 
Creek, the site of which is still occni)ied in the same 
way. Then followed a saw mill and grist mill, and in 
1809, an iron blooming forge where James lieaton manu- 
factured the li'"st bar iron in the State of Ohio. It 
was not possible to hanmier small sizes, Init it was 
left to the country blacksmith to fashion from these 
bars whatever was needed, and the writer remembers 
that all of the wrought iron articles for household and 
farm use in his early boxhood days at his home were 
made from these cold blast charcoal hammered bars, 
crude in appearance, wilh no attempt to beautify, and 
all b(jre the marks of the blacksmith's hammer. 

The process was a wasteful one. The pig iron was 
rcmclled, cast into jjlates some two feet sipiare antl one 
inch thick, and while red hot, chilled with cold water. 
After cooling, llic}- were broken into small pieces, melted 
in a charcoal hre with a light blast, gathered in a 
pasty state on the end of an iron rod, and then h;im- 
mered into a bloom. These blooms were afterward re- 
heated and h;unniered into Ijars. The hammer itself was 
(.>l)erated !)}• a water wheel which at each revolution 
lifted the hannner, and it fell by gravity on the 
heated bloom. 

llealon obtained his supjdy of pig iron from the 
furnaces at ^■ellow Creek, but when these furnaces 
closed down in \H\j, he was forced to build a furnace 
to sujjply his wants and evidently to accomplish this, 
he was compelled to borrow the means. The County 
records show thai on Xoveiuber 6. 1812, he gave a 
mortgage to his brother |..lm Ileatou. of Cfecn County, 

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M/JxiarACTUIdNC. — 

fOJNij'Eii Or '::-£ /OLfh'c: 

TOWN 'CiTY HOS?iT/— 

A BENEVOLENT ClTiZE. 

f;OP:N M/iiCH ID /iS2C 

1/ i EL Mr JiCH 7 J o s i> 



Bronie TaMct of John StamhauKh. L=adcr .n Industrial Devclopmcr 



McKINLEY MEMORIAL 

on iiiK- liiimlrccl acres of land aiul llic iiupruveiuenls 
thcrc-un, consist ing- of grist mill, saw mill and forge, 
lor liic stun ol Fourteen liundred and forly-eight dol- 
lars. It was in 1813 he built his furnace at the foot 
of a bluff, connecting the lop of the furnace with the 
level ground at the sunnnit of the blufl where now is 
located the lligh School building, and the yard of 
which was used for the sttirage of charcoal, ore and 
limestone. 

The stack, square in shaijc, and not over thirty-five 
feet high was Iniilt of native Hag stone and lined with 
the same material, and in consequence could not run 
over six months without re-lining. It was called a 
quarter stack, nine feet in diameter at the bosh, blown 
with a single tuyer, and had a capacity of between 
two and three tons per day. The ore was low grade 
and after calcining, oidy yielded about thirty per cent 
metallic iron and one luan having the ore prepared and 
the charcoal in baskets ready for filling, fed the furnace 
at the top while one man at the bottom wheeled out 
the slag, made up the pig l)cds, and wheeled out and 
piled the iron. 

The blast cylinder was operated l)y a slow moving 
water wheel connected by a walking beam, and at each half 
revolution emitted a terrifying groan, ;ind to equalize the 
pressure the air passed from this cylinder into a square 
wooden receiver with a bellows top weighted with water, 
.so that when the cylinder was idle at the end of its 
stroke, the j)ressure of the water forced the air into 
tlie furnace. This cylinder was afterward replaced bv a 
horizontal iron cylinder siqjjilementcd l)y steam jiower. 
The furnace was open at the top, and on dark nights 
formed a beacon light for several miles. It was open 

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Bronze TaUlct in Museum, Pr=,cntcd Ky Home Market Clul.. B,.,t„n 



AIcKIXLEY MEMORIAL 



at llic bottom also with the slag" pulsating at each 
stroke of the cylinder and constantly flowing, and when 
iron was needed for casting, the slag was ])nshed back 
and the in< udders di|)])ed the iron from the hearth with 
their ladles, and marching in close procession poured it 
into the moulds. 

W hen this furnace was llnished, he had it lighted 
by his only daughter, and he gave it her name, "Maria 
I'\irnacc." Here wx-re cast stoves all bearing the brand, 
"James Hcaton Maria luirnace.'" and plows and all kinds 
of hollow ware. 

In 1830 James lleaton retired from active business 
and leased the furnaces to lleaton & Robbins, who 
operated it t'or four }ears when Robbins retired, ami 
Warren llealnn continued the Inisiness until about the 
tmie of his death in i,S4_'. There was but little profit 
in the business, money was scarce and seldom obtained 
except by running a Hat boat with twenty tons down 
the Mahoning and J5eaver rivers to the Ohio, and being 
towed thence to i'ittsburg. Cash to pay taxes was an 
absolute necessity. The furnace men were mostl\- paid 
in i)rovisions and supplies from the Company store, re- 
ceiving only in cash. ,,ne dollar each on the "Fourth 
of July," and the same amount on Christmas. The 
store go<.ds were largely olUained imm country merch;ints 
m exchange for articles made at the furnace. ;ind the 
rate of wages extremely low. All tliese matters arc 
given in de-tail in order that the reader may contrast 
lliem with conditions governing the same business at 
tile present time. 

'I'he place where the furnace was L.cated came to 
Ik- known as Ileaton's l-^nmace, and guide boards so 
niarkerl were placed on different roads lea. ling there, one 

122 




PORTRAIT OF JAMES WARD 

With W.lliam Ward and TKomas Russell lie Bu.ll, at Nilc». 
the F.rst Rolling M.ll in the Stale of OKIo. 1842 



.McKlXLKV M l-:.MORJAL 

oi which ai a corner on Suulh Street in Warren, re- 
mained until about 1870 when the building to which 
it was tixed burned. The people were served with mail 
at a pustutlice established Xovcniber 4, i8iy, under the 
name of W eatherslield, uilli David A. Adams as first 
postmaster. Just where il was located is uncertain, as 
Adams lived in Liberty for many years. At one time 
it was at what is known as Hakes Corners, on the 
\\ arren and Voungstown road. 

James Ilcaton was an ardent Whig in politics, a 
subscriber to a ])aper known at different times as "Xiles 
Weekly Register," "Xiles Register," and "Xiles Xational 
Register," and published from Baltimore, Philadelphia, and 
Washington. The name of Heaton's Furnace passed away 
and was succeeded by Xilestown, and it was not until 
March 16, 1843, that Xiles received its present name and 
oflkial christening at the hands of the Postmaster General. 
The Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal was open from its 
junction with the Erie & Pittsburg Canal in May, 1838, 
to Warren, and to Akron later in the season, thus 
affording a traffic and travel route l)y water from the 
Ohio river to Cleveland. 

.\fter the death of Warren Ilealon in i84_', the 
"Maria l-'urnace" was leased to different firms, among 
them, McKinley. Reep i*<: Dcmpsey, Jacob Robeson & 
Co., Robe.son ^S: P-owell, and last of all, to Robeson & 
Battles, who continued its operation until about 1853. 
None of these firms were successful, luit during the 
control oi the i.isi n.inud firm ;i valu:d)le discoverx- was 
made. Coal mining had been o;irried on \nv a number 
of years at .Mineral Ridge, and underlying this coal was 
a vein of bl.ick stone twelve to eighteen inclies thick, 
the value of ^ which was scarcely suspected until a coal 

124 



THE XATloNAl. McKIM.IA i; 1 k I I I I 'I .A( I'. Ml'MoUIAL 

iniiKT rcc.i-^iii/.id its >iiiiil;irit \ uilli llie hlack l);m(l ores 
in Scllaiul, ami al his iusiaiu-c. the first smelting of 
this ore was done at tlie "Maria Inirnace." This ore 
proved to be so vahial)le that m.t only was it mined 
in connectiMU with the coal, hut it was taken up in 
the old workiui^s where it had heen passed over as 
worthless. It had a ready sale and enabled the furnace 
operators to put ujiou the market a soft lluid loundry 
iron, calletl American Scotch. 

The Canal and the coal lields 1\ ing twi> miles south 
put Xiles on the map as a i)]ace for exploitation. In 
1S4-'. lames Ward. W illiani Ward, and Thomas Russell 
came there froui rittshuri; and purchased a site for a 
rollin;;- mill. Tlu-y were men of small means, hut full 
of energy and skilUil iu the ])usiness. They brought 
with them a steamboat engine and boilers, and the first 
train of rolls they rescued from an abandoned mill at 
Xew Lisbon, and this was the first rolling mill built 
in the Mahoning X'alley. The\- built one furnace which 
was useil alternatel\- for heating and puddling. Their 
coal suj^ply was hauled by team from Mineral Ridge, 
and lor material the\- depended on country scrap, and 
the "Maria furnace," and one or two at Youngstown. 
This being insufficient, they leased a furnace in Mercer 
County, Pennsylvania, fur a \ear or two. 

In the beginning, James Ward was business manager 
and engineer, William Ward the i)uddler and healer, and 
Thomas Russell the roller. They strove hard and ])ros- 
percd, increasing the capacitv of their ])lant .and entrust- 
ing the manu.al l;d)or i);irt to others, gave their time 
to superintendence. Some lime in the fifties, they leased 
the Falcon furnace at ^'oungstow^, which proved a very 
profitable venture, and later having received an accession 

125 



McKlXLEV MEMORIAL 

of capital will) (icorge C. Rcis, of ritlsbuig, as a 
partner, thcv buill a blast furnace at Niles soon after 
the conii)leti()n of the L'le\elan(l and Mahoning railroad. 
(^ver one iiundred years have i)assed since James 
lleaton the pioneer drove his lirst stakes in Wealhers- 
licld, and the only visible evidence of liis early activities 
now remaining are the mill dam, the grist mill and the 
mill race, bnt other enter])risi.s have followed and where 
he sowed the seed of industr\-. there has arisen a 
prosperous city beautified with the Ikhiics of the thrifty, 
in which neither the leisure class nor the idle rich 
have their abode. 



126 



